The Ties That Bind Part I Bristol
by DanH2010
Summary: This is the 3rd part of others. The first being Growing Pains and the second Necessary Secrets. This story was getting long so I have split it into 2 parts. Ties That Bind Part 2  Leopards Den  up soon!
1. Home Life

**Summary - 10 years in the future. Danny and Alice are happily married. Lexi is 15 and now has an adopted brother called Ethan. I can't tell you much more without giving my story away but they do go to leopards den in this one yay at last! Lol Alice and Danny are back living in Bristol and own their own vets practice bought with Alice compensation money from her accident. I must tell you that this story is more based around Lexi and Ethan and others rather than Danice although there will be plenty of Danice fluffiness. Enjoy people. **

**(Here's my small disclaimer too. I do not own wild at heart or any of the characters or nothing)**

_**End Of May 10 years in the future.**_

Alice was sat in her home in Bristol. It was weird talking that way about Bristol. Bristol should never have been home to her but here she was. they had lived here for nearly 6 years now. They been house hunting. Looking anywhere and everywhere and found this cute little house on the very edge of Bristol. That was very convenient coz they had been looking for a vets practice to buy into too. The practice was literally 10 minutes away walking. They had schools near too. They had spoke at length as Danny knew her feelings on Bristol. She'd agreed to have a look at the house and she fell in love as soon as she saw it. 4 bedrooms. 2 bathrooms. A garage. A huge back garden. She fell in love and she told Danny if he wanted to they could buy it. And they had. They had a small mortgage but their wages easily covered it as they had put down a large deposit. Her house up in Glasgow had been sold. Alice had shed a few tears but she couldn't hold on to it anymore. The money and her compensation easily paid for the vets practice and a nice deposit here!

She was savouring the peace and quiet. Sat in the kitchen. It was a habit she'd picked up from her mum which had stuck with her. To say they didn't get much of peace and quiet in this house was an understatement. With 2 teenagers in the house they had NO quiet. Alice wouldn't have it any other way. Lexi, who had just turned 15 was a lot like she was when she was a child. Queen of the world with an attitude to match. She was easily over 6 foot tall and slim. Her eyes which used to be blue green had changed when she was 8 to green. She had the same messy brownie blond hair that Danny had that refused to be tamed. Although she and Danny had proof Lexi wasn't Danny's daughter you'd never think it looking at her. She was the image of him and they were identical in every way. From the way they looked talked walked. Jokes they laughed at. Everything. It was like Alice had contributed nothing. She always had been a daddies girl though! They had a son now too. Ethan. They had fostered him 2 years ago and almost immediately decided to adopt him. He was 15 too. 6 foot with brown eyes and longish brown hair. He was tanned all year around which Lexi hated him for.

Alice decided to get her wedding pictures out. It had been ages since she looked at them. She grabbed the thick leather album and sat down at the kitchen table. Flicked through the pages. Smiled at pictures Shauna and Missy had taken. In every picture it seemed she and Danny were touching or kissing. There were some gorgeous ones of Danny and Lexi. Sweet father daughter moments. She stopped and looked at the group photograph. If they were to take something like this now it would be different. Mrs Carr would not be stood beside her husband Brian. Her name now Mrs Elliott. She was still mum to her and Shauna and nana to Lexi. She'd tried to take Ethan under her wing too but her called her Mrs Elliott like Danny did. They had also tried for years to get Danny to call her mum or at least say she was his mother in law. He'd explained it was nothing personal but he had a mum and couldn't see anyone else in that position. Her mum had taken it fine though. She was great! Missy was living with her boyfriend of 5 years. She vowed never to get married as she was scared what she and Shauna were planning for her. She was just to plain scared to go through with it. Shauna was married to James and guess what else. Pregnant. 7 months. Due on hers and Danny wedding anniversary. Alice had £20 on her giving birth on that day. Danny had £20 on her giving birth a week later, although he said she wouldn't give birth then just to spite him! Shauna was well pissed people were betting on her due date. Then she bet she would go into labour a week early. James was walking on air now, he felt like king of the universe. They had found out they were having twin girls. Shauna looked pale as she'd told her. Remembering Alice in the delivery room. The woman's screams from down the hall. Alice smiled. God help Shauna and James. Twin girls. They had a hard enough time keeping Lexi out of trouble. They had 2 Shauna's on the way! Danny had been a little sad when they announced their happy news. He was truly happy for them he just felt jealous that he and Alice would never have that. He'd never see her pregnant. He'd never hold a new born baby in his arms. Only minutes old. He told her all this once. They talked about everything now. She said she felt that way too.

There was more sad news too. She touched Danny's mothers face on the photograph. She had passed away 3 years ago. Her cancer which had went into remission came back. Worse and faster than before. She and Danny had found out a month after she did. A month later she fell asleep and never woke up. She and Danny had said a prayer together. Asked her mum and his dad to take care of her. Danny had been in pieces. In his head he was happy that his mother was out of pain and reunited with his father he still missed her though.

She was so lost in thought she didn't hear the front door slam and 2 kids storm into the kitchen. School must be over!

"Mum tell this freak show to keep away from me!" Lexi yelled.

"Erm I think you're the freak show not me and you were following me!"

Alice looked at her daughter and Ethan. Scowling at each other. "What's going on?"

"This freak show's weirdo friends were staring at me again!"

"Don't call Ethan a freak show Lexi!" Alice warned.

Lexi's green eyes flashed fire. She was the double of her father at this moment. Her arms crossed over her chest belligerently. Yup definitely her daddy!

"He is a freak show! Can't you buy clothes that fit?" She goaded and looked at his baggy jeans.

"Can't you brush your hair?" he replied.

"That's pretty stupid looking at your shaggy mop!"

Ethan's eyes narrowed. Looked at her and how much she resembled her dad. He knew how to get her.

"Hey Lex you know what you look EXACTLY like your dad! Very LANKY!"

Alice winced. She hated comments made about her height. She'd been close to 6 foot since she was 14 and now she over 6 foot and despised it.

Lexi's eyes turned into slits. "You are so DEAD!" she shrieked and launched herself at him. Alice caught her around the waist.

Ethan grinned at his victory and started to walk from the kitchen. He again wore his I don't care expression.

"I'm gonna smother you in your sleep freak show!" Lexi yelled.

He turned grinned and then said. "I look forward to it bean pole!" he then laughed.

Lexi had stopped fighting for a second when he grinned. She'd froze at the sight of his smile. Then he'd called her bean pole and she'd fought more.

Alice would have to check on her daughter tonight. She never made idle threats. She would definitely try to smother him tonight. She smiled wryly. That wasn't a trait she inherited from her. Someone else must had gave her indicating the sperm donor as she called him.

"Can't you 2 get along?" Alice asked when Lexi had calmed down.

"Can he curl up and die?" Lexi replied.

"LEXI!"

"Sorry but one of his creepy friends followed me home. And a couple of days ago I found him in my room." her green eyes were weary. "He was stood next to my underwear drawer. I walked in my room and he had…..stuff to his face!"

"Which one?" Alice asked her tone cold.

"Derek."

"I'll sort this baby. Promise!"

She and Ethan were going to have to talk. She wasn't bothered about him having friends around. And she understood that Lexi was a pretty girl. No doubt a couple of his friends would like her but he'd already been told Derek wasn't to come here ever! He was 24 years ago and the first time he'd seen Lexi she had barely been 14 and he'd cornered her in the back yard. They had involved the police but they couldn't do anything coz he hadn't touched her. No just scared the life out of her with the things he'd said he wanted to do to her! It had Taken all of Alice's persuasion for Danny not to go after him! He was so going to get it when Alice saw him, she was going to skewer his testicles!

"You mind if I head over to Shay's?"

"Na off ya go baby. Give me a ring if it's dark and I'll come pick ya up when you want to come home."

(X)

Lexi left and all was quiet in the house again. She again started thinking about the changes which had happened in the last 10 years. There had been a couple. They had of course bought this house and moved back to Bristol. A place she swore she'd never live. She and Danny were both qualified vets he 2 years in front of her. He worked in their vets practice full time with another vet and she worked full time during term time. And part time during the holidays. The other big change in their life had been Ethan. They had became foster carers about 8 years ago. Alice didn't want to go through IVF or surrogacy but she wanted more kids. They had then decided that there were plenty of kids who needed homes. They had fostered a few at first getting used to having more than one child then they met Ethan. No one would keep him longer than a week or 2. He was moody surly and aggressive. That was what his file said but then he'd saw Lexi. They had hit it off at first. They got along like house on fire. It wasn't till 6 months ago that he and Lexi began getting on each others nerves. Nothing serious had happened, Alice was certain of that. Well something had happened. Lexi had woke up one morning and looked at Ethan and realised he's a good looking boy and maybe she liked him. Alice saw all the signs. She remembered them well on her own face when she'd been with Danny at the beginning. Hate in teenage girl speak generally meant love. Awww bless!

Anyways she and Danny had spoke about Ethan and decided to adopt him. He's a mixed up kid but Alice felt a connection with him. Probably had something to do with his past. His file had been colourful to say the least. Alice thought the social worker showed them it to put her off adopting him. His father had viciously abused him. Using weapons frequently. Including whips, pieces of wood and metal. Bleach. He's had house hold items hit off him and chairs broken over his back. At 12 years old his father had killed his mother in front of him beat her to death. Although he was in prison for life Ethan's scars still remained. Ethan spent most of his time trying to provoke Danny. He tried desperately to get a reaction. To start fights with him Ethan wanted Danny to hit him. Danny being as easy going guy found it easy not to react and shrugged off his comments. With every time Danny didn't react Ethan tried harder. He was shocked that he hadn't reacted yet! All Danny and Alice wanted for Ethan was to give him a better start than he had. He was there son in every sense of the word. Now if he only believed that Danny would hurt him they'd be fine.

Ethan walked back into the kitchen.

"Sorry bowt the yelling Alice." he said.

"Don't worry about it Eth, Lexi and yelling go hand in hand."

He nodded.

"Derek was here." Alice said neutrally watching Ethan's reaction.

Ethan's head whipped up in shock. "What the hell for? I didn't invite him! I don't even talk to him anymore sick perve!"

"He was in Lexi's room."

Ethan's fists clenched. "I'll kill him. I told him to stay away from her. Warned him what I'd do if any harm came to her!"

Ethan started to shake with anger.

Alice kneeled in front of him. Put her soft hand on his face. "Ethan look at me."

He didn't. In his head he could see his fist hitting Derek's face. Felt his body flood with satisfaction as it did so.

"Ethan!" Alice said louder.

He finally looked at alice.

"This isn't you Ethan! You don't have to use your fists. You're a better person than that!"

Ethan's head dropped to the kitchen table. Let it fall and hit with a thud. It disgusted him that he was so much like his father. How when he got angry he wanted to lash out. Hit something. Pound it into submission. Not work through it rationally just keep hitting and hitting!

"Ethan son your not like him! You can calm yourself. Restrain the anger. He didn't care!"

He looked at Alice. Brown eyes bleak. "Bet you wished you never adopted me huh. You got yourself landed with a psycho!"

"Awww Ethan we love you. We wish you were our son. If you were life would have been so much better. We've never regretted adopting you!"

"Speak for yourself. I be HE feels different!" Ethan said bitterly.

"Why don't you like Danny?" Alice asked softly.

"Coz HE don't like me!" Ethan replied.

"Is it coz his height scares you? Alice asked again in her soft tone.

"NO!" he voice wobbled slightly. "I'm not scared of anyone or anything!" he picked fights with gangs of lads to prove it. Truth be told his height did intimidate him abit. Ethan wasn't short but he wasn't as tall as Danny either.

"He'll never hurt you you know."

"He's capable. All men are. Even me. One day he'll hit me and when he does I'll take him out!" Ethan warned in his toughest voice. He then left the room and slammed the front door. His fists had been clenched. No doubt he'll come home covered in bruises and cuts. He was going to find a gang and pick a fight. Alice worried herself sick at these times. She rang Danny.

"Honey it's Ethan. He's lost it again. Going to pick a fight I think!"

"Ok Alice darling. Don't worry I'll find him before he hurts himself. Ashley is eager for more freedom anyway. Love you Hun."

"Love you too." Alice disconnected the call and then paced.

**A/N ok there it is. straight into the story. how did this go. next chapter we'll learn more about ethan and his past. review please people :)**


	2. Ethan

Danny climbed in the car. Ethan again. This kid had a serious problem and death wish to go with it! Every week he seemed to go out and find a different person to fight with. Each group larger. Each person harder. What was he trying to prove? That he could take a battering and walk away. Life wasn't about being able to fight your way out of stuff. It was about walking away. Being a man. Not worrying the people who loved you. He rode for about 20 minutes and found him. He was goading a large group of teenage boys. They were starting to converge on him in a circle. All of them wore a murderous expression.

"Christ Eth they're gonna kill you son!" Danny murmured.

Danny turned off the engine and climbed from the car.

"Ethan I want you to come home now!" Danny said and walked towards him.

Ethan's eyes flashed fire. "Go to hell Trevanion!" he then looked back at the tallest boy. Obviously the leader of the group. "C'mon then big man. Or you waiting for your mum to hold your hand!"

The lad stepped forward and fists started flying.

"For Gods sake Eth!" Danny muttered.

Fists were flying. Ethan got punched in the stomach and head. Ethan got in a left hook and a right to the jaw. The leader stepped back stunned, dazed.

Danny stepped in as Ethan went to hit him again. He pulled him away. "Your coming home now Ethan!"

The leader pulled out a knife.

Not this shit again! He pushed Ethan behind him and started backing off.

"C'mon then!" Ethan yelled trying to get back from behind Danny.

"ETHAN! Shut up!"

Danny continued trying to back off.

The other boy advanced upon them.

"Look kid you shouldn't have stuff like that!" Danny said softly.

The boy waved it.

"We're leaving don't do anything daft!"

He waved it again. Danny didn't move and the blade sliced through his shirt and his arm.

"Shit!" he hissed. "Right now I'm pissed your ruined my best shirt!" Danny moved quickly, grabbed the arm which was holding the knife and twisted it up the boys back. The boy dropped the knife in reflex. Danny kicked it down the drain.

"Kids shouldn't play with sharp objects!" Danny said in a deadly tone and then pushed the boy away. "Ethan car now!" he said and pressed his hand to the cut on his arm.

The other kids moved and Danny and Ethan walked to the car and climbed in. "Grab the first aid kit from the back will you?" Danny asked.

He did and tossed it to him. He pressed gauze to the cut. "This stings like a bitch!" he admitted.

"You should have let him stab me!" Ethan said angrily.

"Sorry kid you're my responsibility!" Danny said and started driving.

"What's that supposed to mean. It's your responsibility to stab me?"

Danny exhaled and clenched his teeth. "Oh yeah, Ethan I stood in front of the knife so I could stab you myself. I do that on a reguar basis you know. It's so much fun!"

They arrived at home. "Back yard Eth!" Danny said.

They both walked through the back gate.

"First thing. I never want Alice to have to phone me scared that your going to get yourself killed again. You're practically a grown man now with responsibilities including taking into account people who loves you feelings!"

"Screw you Trevanion!"

Danny bit his tongue. "Why did you go looking for a fight this time?"

Ethan thought about ignoring him but then had a better idea. He knew how to get Danny to hit him!

"Derek had been round!" Danny's eye's narrowed. "He'd been in Lexi's room. He was gutted she wasn't in. I was too! We couldn't have any fun!"

Danny's fists clenched and he went to walk away. Ethan smiled. He had him!

"O yeah. SO gutted! You should hear the way he talks about her!" Danny froze still his back to Ethan. "He's obsessed with her. Can't wait to touch her again!"

He heard Danny roar with rage. Before Ethan knew what happened he was pushed against a wall. "You help any of your friends." he spat the word. "Touch one hair on Lexi's head and you won't need to provoke a reaction from me! Got it!"

The sane side of Danny's brain was pleading with him to calm down. This is all lies Daniel! Cool it! He's trying to cause a fight. This had been especially hard to control coz Ethan didn't know the details of Lexi's conception. His little girl was never going through that! Danny released Ethan and stomped through the back gate. Went for a walk. Rage still coursed through him.

(X)

Ethan was left alone. "Wow!" Danny could move pretty fast! He hadn't seen that coming. This was gonna be so much harder if Danny was fast! He walked over and sat on the grass deep in thought. Ethan was willing to admit one thing. He shouldn't of motioned Lexi. Not in that context anyway. He'd went to far there. He was willing to admit that Danny was a great father to Lexi. Loved her way beyond anything Ethan even understood. She's the man's daughter. If anyone said that about his daughter. If he had one that is. He could honestly say he'd tear them apart! The man had a lot of self control but today proved Ethan's point. If pushed far enough Danny would snap! He expected to feel exhilarated with the knowledge but all he felt was disappointment. Danny didn't have to worry about anyone getting near Lexi. He'd kill anyone who went near her. She's pretty cool when you get passed her bitchy attitude. The last couple of nights they'd sat in his room listening to music and talking. Nothing important just stuff. Until about 6 months ago he would have called her his best friend. He'd tried to be distant with her at first, I mean he's the foster kid. He doesn't stay anywhere. They get rid of him coz they can't control him.

Lexi had been so nice to him when he first moved in. Not like in some of the other homes where he had been treated like a leper! Other kids pushing him around, not liking it when he pushed back harder. In one of the worse homes he'd nearly been attacked. It had been just after he'd been fostered. He'd been 12 and grieving. His foster mothers aunt had came in his room and saw him crying. Put her arm around him. He'd been grateful until her hand had moved a little far south. He'd tried to dive away but she held him tight. He's struggled and somehow got away. To this day he didn't know how he got away but thankfully he did. Of course he'd told his foster mum. She called him a liar. Said there was no where in hell that happened. That he'd probably propositioned her and she'd knocked him back so he was taking revenge. When he'd insisted that he was telling the truth her husband had hit him till he was quiet. After that he became a problem child. No one had a bigger attitude than him. All men were the same. Couldn't keep their hands to themselves.

Anyway his Lexi had been so great, breath of fresh air in his stagnant life. She had enough smiles and laughter to light up his darkened life and he thinks he loves her for it! He wasn't sure if it was romantic boyfriend sort of love or if it was sort of family love. He'd never known either so he was confused. He knew she liked him too. The way she looked at him sometimes. To be honest quite a few girls liked him. He wasn't being egotistical it was true. Girls just went loopy over his brown eyes. None of them appealed to him though. They liked him for how he looked. Or because they wanted to be seen with a bad boy. But Lexi she talked and listened to him! He also knew how to smile at people to get his way. He'd learned manipulation at a early age. His father had used it enough on his mum.

Oh mum! He thought sadly. She hadn't been the best mum but she'd tried her best for him. The fact that she did that and wasn't the best made him love her more. She had tried so hard in every way. Even to protect him from monsters. They were finally able to leave that day. She had their stuff packed and ready to go. They were going to live in a shelter. His dad had came home from work early. Saw their bags. He saw the fear in his mothers eyes. He couldn't let her face him so he'd stood in front of her. His father started rambling, saying she wasn't leaving. That he'd see her dead before she left him. He'd stood his ground not letting his father near her. Told him to take a look at a real man. That this man would never hit a woman. Truth be told he was so scared. He was 12 years old for gods sake! He knew he was going to get a smack! His father pushed him against a wall. He pleaded with his mum to run. To call the police. That he'd be fine. His father had then punched him in his ribs. After he'd hit him his mum started pounding on his back. Telling him not to hit me anymore. Why couldn't she have left? His father punched him in the head and then flung him to the floor.

He must of passed out coz the next thing he remembered were sickening sounds. Grunts of pain. The gurgling of blood. His father spewing a vile tirade of abuse at his mum. He'd opened his eyes but the room felt like it was spinning. His head eventually cleared and he saw his mum. His father had her by the front of her once white jumper. He kept pounding her face with his fist. He tried to tell his father to stop but he couldn't move his jaw. It had been dislocated. Oh god his mothers face! A lone tear slid down his face. She had been so pretty, people used to say she looked young enough to be his older sister. Her big brown eyes and quick smile had been too good for his father! That bastard had destroyed her. Her eyes were swollen shut. Lips split and puffy. Blood ran from her nose and mouth all the way to her chin and dripped to her jumper causing it to turn a dark red colour. Her neck seemed like it was made of rubber, like it couldn't support her head. Ethan knew his mother hadn't been conscious what he didn't know was that she was already dead. Anyway after seeing his mum like that he found the strength to dive on his father. By this time he had already dropped her to the floor like a limp rag doll. He and his father wrestled on the floor. His father had smiled saying he liked the challenge. She was a weak pitiful thing who didn't fight back. He burst his fathers nose for that comment. His father was far bigger and more muscular and easily overpowered him. Punched him in the same spot on his ribs before. Then climbed off him. Picked him up from the floor. Fist held high about to give him the hiding of his life. When the police burst in. their neighbour had heard the screams and called them. His father was soon cuffed and he was sat with his mother. Her head in his lap. Crying. Pleading with her to wake up. That they were safe now. Later on he as told she was dead. Nothing they could do. Massive brain damage. Her body had just shut down. She'd did it though. She'd protected her baby. That bastard went down for life. No chance of parole. He was sent down for multiple charges of Grievous Bodily harm. Child abuse. Manslaughter and attempted murder of a minor. He'd never be released but even if they did he'd have no life coz than swore o his mother that if he ever got out. He'd kill him for her!

**A/N part 1 of ethan. the next chapter will be more baout ethan i wrote quite alot actually. hope your enjoying :)**

**tell me how u maybe feel about ethan and lexi. i know it seems weird but he's never known love before. i know where it's gonna go he's mite just b a little diversion if u know what i mean. review please. :)**


	3. Truce?

It had grown dark as Ethan had sat and pondered his memories.

He didn't notice a man walk towards him.

"Here." a gravely voice said.

Ethan looked up and saw a man over 6 foot looming over him. His face in shadows. For a second he thought the man was in his father and he had a flashback of being 8 years old and his father giving him a smack for some small misdemeanour. He scrambled backwards away from the voice. The man took a step forward. The moonlight illuminated his face, he recognised Danny's concerned eyes.

"You ok kid?" Kid was Danny's affectionate nickname for Ethan.

Ethan exhaled the breath he hadn't realised he was holding and accepted the drink.

"Can I sit down?" Danny asked.

Ethan shrugged. "It's your garden. Pull up a pew."

"Yeah but it's your personal space!"

Ethan shrugged again and Danny sat on the grass beside him.

"It's a nice night. Warm."

Ethan didn't reply.

"I'm sorry about the wall, the threats and the anger." Danny said softly.

Ethan looked at him confused. Why was he apologising? This had never happened before!

"I know there's no excuse for what I did to you." he shook his head. "I saw red, she's my little girl. My baby! I swear to you though I will never hurt you. I know it doesn't mean much after what I did but I can promise you that. I'll hurt myself before you Alice or Lexi!"

Ethan nodded feeling weird by his declaration. "Look Danny I'm sorry too. I used your daughter against you. You've got to know that I would knowingly have my friends near her if they were going to harm her. To be honest I love her too. She's ok when she's not being annoying or awkward! I'll never harm her and no one else will while I'm near!"

"Look mate I know the danger isn't from you. It never crossed my mind. Even in my rage I still said if your friends touch her. You'd never hurt her I know it! You're a good kid when you get passed the walls and shields you've erected around yourself. But you won't let me in. Why?"

Ethan sat in silence. Arms crossed. Keeping those walls standing strong. He refused to answer that question. He refused to like him. Admire the fact that he was patient and apologised even though it had him at fault! And most of all he flat out refused to trust him! All men were the same weren't they? Ethan wasn't so sure anymore. He was a man and he'd never hit his wife or kids!

Danny realised that Ethan wasn't going to talk so he tried something else. He decided they should try to explain the people they were to each other. He was so chuffed at the progress they'd made right here usually Ethan couldn't even be in the same room as him. They were actually sat side by side here!

"How about we talk about ourselves. My favourite subject apart from you Alice and Lexi!" Danny joked. "To be honest I feel like I hardly know you!"

Ethan eyed him suspiciously.

"I'll start!" he needed to break the ice. "Ok my full name is Daniel Lawrence Trevanion."

Ethan looked at him amused. "Lawrence?"

"My dad's name was Daniel and her favourite author was DH Lawrence worked out pretty well for her. She wanted to name me Daniel Horatio Lawrence Trevanion but my dad drew the line at Horatio thank God!"

"Your kidding right!" Ethan said smiling slightly,

Danny shook his head. "She didn't like normal names obviously! Ok mate your turn!"

"What do you wanna know?" Ethan asked defensivly.

Danny shrugged. "Anything you wanna tell me."

Ethan thought for a moment. He ran through inconsequential information. He wasn't going to tell him anything he could use against him later!

"My favourite subject at school is history." he finally settled on.

Danny smiled. "You and Alice will get along. It was her second favourite behind PE. But that's only cause she got to see me in my tight shorts!"

"Urrrr Danny!" Ethan replied smiling wider.

"Ok my turn. You probably already know this but I wore a kilt to my wedding."

"No I didn't. Why on earth would you agree to wear a skirt to your wedding?" he asked he wore a fully fledged grin now.

"Alice wanted me to. I love her that much that I wanted her day to be the best of her entire life. And if that meant wearing a kilt then that's what I had to do. The one downside is that all James does is wolf whistle at my legs!" Danny said in disgust.

"I wondered why he did that!"

"Oh mate you don't know the half of it. You know James' wife Shauna. Alice's best friend. Well she didn't like James stag joke so she handcuffed my wrist to James' ankle and had us following clues to find the key on the morning of my wedding! We had to do a wheelbarrow like from sports day to get around the house. Almost scarred me for life! The worst thing is she has pictures which she uses to blackmail me to get what she wants. I see a lot of babysitting in my future!"

Ethan was suddenly laughing. "God I'd pay to see those pictures!"

"Ok I did 2 your turn!" Danny encouraged.

"I once hid in Lexi's room wearing this mask. I jumped out of the dark just before she turned the light on. I've never seen her run so fast or scream so loud! It was really hilarious!"

Ethan was watching Danny out of the corner of his eye for his reaction. For him to yell at him for being in Lexi's room uninvited. He was surprised when Danny burst out laughing.

"I can just se her face too. I bet that went down well later!" he said between chuckles. "Shauna and Lexi did the same to Alice once too you know. Shauna had been babysitting Lexi and Alice had told Lexi to work herself as a joke. Lexi was only like 4 at the time. She told Shauna who in turn planned revenge. Shauna and Alice lived together at the time so she hid in Alice's wardrobe and waited till she was nearly asleep. She then jumped out and roared wearing this werewolf mask. Alice shot out of bed seen her and passed clean out. Shauna thought she'd killed her. Like she had a heart attack or something. The good thing is Shauna had set up a video camera so she got it all on tape. Remind me to show it to you. Hilarious!"

Ethan laughed then asked Danny a question which had bugged him.

"Danny can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"Why haven't you and Alice got more kids? I mean she's a brilliant mum and you're a great dad!" he stopped like he said too much. "Why do you put up with angry cast offs?"

Danny rubbed his mouth with his hand then looked up at the sky. He looked at a cluster of stars. He imagined they were his parents, Alice's mum and his 10 year old child. The child they had never got to meet. He remembered Ethan was waiting for an answer so he said. "After Lexi Alice had been pregnant again. Lexi was nearly 5 at the time. This would be about 10 years ago now. She was involved in a car crash. A bad one! She was only about 6 weeks along and the baby didn't survive. Alice flat lined in the ambulance too." He looked at Ethan's face. "I've never known fear like it. Listening to the high pitched whine of that machine. Listening to the ECG machine charge. The paramedic working on her pleading with her to wake up!" he shook his head trying to dislodge the memory. "Her injuries were severe. She couldn't walk for a while afterwards. They told us it'd be unlikely we'd ever conceive naturally due to her injuries. There was IVF and surrogacy but I couldn't put her through that." he was silent remembering Alice after the accident. How hard it had been for her. "Plus we got you, your not an angry cast off Ethan."

"Why do you put up with my crap?" Ethan asked. He hadn't realised Danny and Alice had been so much.

"Coz you're my son."

"No Danny I'm not. My father murdered my mother! She died protecting me!"

Danny hadn't heard that before. He knew she'd been killed by his father but not that she died protecting her son! Ethan sat in silence for a long time. His head bowed.

"You remind me a lot of someone I knew, what must be nearly 17 years ago now. Wow do I feel old!"

Ethan looked at him with disgust. "Who yourself. That's cliché Daniel!"

"God no way is it me. I was far better looking than you at this age anyway!" he grinned.

"You wish. I'm stunning!" Ethan retorted. A small smile playing at the edges of his mouth.

"No many years ago I knew this girl."

"Now you comparing me to a girl?" Ethan said in disgust.

"Listen. I knew this girl. I saw her and immediately thought wow amazing. She beat me at everything we did and I couldn't get enough of her. Spent every moment with her. I fell hard and fast. I never stood a chance with her! She had this I'm gonna kick your ass attitude though. Got us in so much trouble at school. She must have had half a dozen fights with my ex girlfriend. Anyway she wasn't scared of anything pushed the boundaries. Remind you of anyone?"

Ethan shrugged. "If you loved her so much why aren't you still with her. No disrespect to Alice but if I met someone like her I'd probably marry them. I think I'd like someone who could keep me on my toes. Who made me fall so fast that I could barely think. I know there's no way your talking about Alice. She hasn't got an attitude. Especially a I'll kick your ass attitude. No way! She doesn't have fights she stops 'em"

Danny smiled widely. He didn't know the half of it. "You sure you wanna know?"

Ethan nodded.

"Well her attitude did mirror yours. Your home life was far worse but she went through the same sort of thing. She didn't have the best time at home. Her mother died when she was still a kid. Her father neglected her. Hit her too. She used to stay at mine as often as my mum would let me. Just to give her some time to relax. I was nearly begging my mum to buy a more comfortable sofa. The price of being noble. A very bad back! We'd been away for a few days. To see her other family and we got back. My mum went away too. We had a great time but she had to go home. She wanted me to spend some time with my parents. She went home." Danny exhaled. A breath. "Her father beat her up badly, then her fathers girlfriends son raped her!"

"God!" Ethan whispered. "No wonder you reacted that way to what I said about Lexi. I'm so sorry Danny. Does Alice know this happened to your ex?"

Danny looked at the grass. He nodded.

What happened to her?"

Danny looked up and smiled. "She got her happy ending. Married to a man who loves her more than anything."

"Then you met Alice huh and along came Lexi."

Danny nodded. "Yeah then I met Alice." he said softly. "I didn't tell you that so you'd feel sorry for me. I told you to explain that I understand uncontrollable rage. I know how you feel coz I felt that type of rage too. That monster goaded me with what he wanted to do to Al…her. He threatened her before with it. And I'll admit to you I laid into him. Less times than I wanted but there it is." he remembered significantly the time Josh had hit her meaning to go for him. Her face as he'd hit her, falling to the ground. Her clutching her cheek. Even now 16 years later he wanted to find Josh and kill him for it, for hurting her. "What I'm saying is I'm here if you need me. If you need to let off steam or just to talk. I'm here for you same as I am for Lexi."

Danny had no idea how much that offered tempted Ethan. He yearned to reach out and grab it. His mothers face haunted him!

"Do you know how to deal with nightmares?" he asked softly. So softly Danny barely heard him. "I dream that night quite a lot!"

"Have you ever spoke to anyone about that night?"

Ethan shook his head. "I never stayed anywhere long enough to trust anyone enough to tell them."

"Aw son. You need to tell someone about it. It's like a festering wound. The poison will just keep building inside. I don't want this to destroy you son. You mean to much to me. Me and Alice will get in touch with a buddy system or a counsellor if you want."

"I don't wanna talk to a stranger Danny. Will you….." he faltered. "Will you listen, please?" he sounded like a small child the way he'd asked it. So unsure. Like he wanted to snatch it back in case Danny said no.

"Of course Ethan. I'm here for you. But if you start and can't carry on don't worry ok. I'm here anytime!"

Ethan looked forward, stared at the roses bush. He didn't see them though he was transported into the past. The story spilled out of him. His voice cracked and broke in some places. He faltered over his mothers beating. No matter how much he said about it no one could even begin to comprehend the devastation his father head wreaked over his mothers face and body. He couldn't find the words to describe the feelings inside when he thought it. His shoulders shook with grief as he broke down at the end.

Danny had a lump in his throat and tears in his eyes. This poor boy. He watched this strong young man crumple and sob, watched his shoulders shake as grief shuddered through his body. That's it he so didn't care if the kid didn't want it. He gathered him close and hugged him tight. This kid hadn't had enough of paternal love in his life and Danny would be damned if this opening passed him by!

Ethan was in shock. He was shocked that he'd relaxed enough to cry in front of Danny. What shocked him more was Danny's reaction. Danny hugged him. HUGGED him. He never cried in front of anyone. He'd cried in front of his father once and he'd got the beating of his life for it. He'd been 7 and learned his lesson. Men didn't cry. If you cried you were soft. He'd never been hugged by a man before! Alice and his mum hugged him all the time. Lexi too. But that was different they were women. His father had never hugged him and he'd never dared ask for one. It definitely felt weird! It wasn't a bad weird though. Sort of like it's safe I'll never hurt you weird. He'd never felt that before. Like he was safe to be with anyone. He always felt like his guard had to be up. People hurt you and people left. Before he could stop himself his arms wrapped around Danny's waist. He couldn't stop the tears. Didn't even try. Danny rubbed his back. They sat like that for a long time. Ethan's tears eventually dried. He pulled away from Danny. Embarrassed he'd gave so much of himself away.

They sat side by side in silence again. Ethan rebuilding his walls. Placing mental distance between them.

"So mate what you gonna do with your last year of school?"

Danny had picked up their previous conversation. Like his breakdown hadn't happened. God he was so grateful he hadn't went all paternal on him. Like some sentimental father. He acted normal. He really is an ok guy. The last of the walls he'd tried so hard to rebuild fell down.

"I'm in 2 minds. I was maybe thinking of doing my degree in history. Then going and doing my PGCE and then teaching it in high school."

"Really? Wow my son a teacher!" Danny mused. "What's the other thing?"

"Well I like putting things together and using my hands so I was thinking mechanic."

Danny's face lit up. "No way!" he jumped to his feet. "C'mon."

Ethan was confused.

"C'mon!" Danny said excitedly. He was almost jumping up and down on the spot. He got up and Danny led him in the garage. Turned on the light.

"I bought this not long after we decided to adopt you."

He took him over to some tarpaulin in the corner.

"Thought it would give us something to do together. You know bonding and stuff."

He pulled the cover and revealed a battered old motorcycle.

"Sure I'm a vet and know nothing about rebuilding a bike and you're a kid but I figured we could learn."

Ethan bent down and studied the engine. "It doesn't look to bad actually."

Danny looked at him.

"My dad fixed cars. It was the one thing he wouldn't yell at me for. Plus I lived with a mechanic for a while too. He showed me the finer pints." he elaborated.

"So you'll help?" Danny asked.

Ethan wore a schooled cautious expression.

"Maybe a little."

Danny tossed him a pair of overalls. "Lets get to work then!"

(X)

Alice looked outside at her yard. Expecting to see Danny and Ethan. Ethan gesturing widely and yelling. Danny trying to calm him down. They'd been sat talking calmly a while ago but that could change at any given moment based on Ethan's feelings. He actually should have stormed in by now mumbling about Danny not reacting again! She couldn't see them out of the window so she walked outside. They were gone. Where are they? There was a clang from the garage. O no they were fighting! She ran inside the garage expecting to see Ethan and Danny wielding metal poles. Imagine her surprise when she saw them heads bent together mumbling about the engine.

"No Eth don't move that!" oil spluttered everywhere. All over Danny's face.

Ethan laughed loudly. He looked more carefree than Alice had ever seen him. She smiled softly.

"What happened to you?" Ethan chuckled and shoved Danny's arm good naturedly.

"You moved your hand!" Danny shoved back playfully.

Danny grabbed a rag and wiped his face.

Ethan noticed Alice. "Uh oh Busted." he murmured.

"Hey honey." he said. His face streaked with the residue of oil.

Alice was in shock. "What are you doing?"

Both men looked at her like she was stupid.

"Working on this bike!" Danny said.

"Badly." Ethan added.

"Speak for yourself kid!"

"I'm not the one covered in oil!" Ethan retorted smugly.

"Ahhh Touché! But I must point out that it's your fault I'm covered in oil as you turned the wrong bolt!"

Alice wondered what planet she had been beamed onto. Danny and Ethan laughing. Enjoying an easy banter. Ethan couldn't usually stand being in the same room as Danny!

"Are you two ok?" Alice asked.

They both nodded as they bent back over the engine.

"Why wouldn't we be?" Danny asked.

"No reason." Alice replied quickly. "I'm just going to jump in the car and pick Lexi up from Shay's."

"Ok honey. You want me to sort tea?"

"I've got a hot pot in the oven on low."

"Mmmm my face!"" he said and stood up.

"I'll pass on a kiss thank you." Alice said grinning.

"Poor unloved Danny!" Ethan joked.

"I won't be long children. Oops did I say that out loud?" she grinned at her 2 men.

She opened the garage and backed out of the driveway giving them a vigorous wave as she did.

Danny waved back just as vigorously and Ethan rolled his eyes.

**A/N theres danny and ethan have sort if forged a truce i quite liked writing this chapter. i like ethan 2 aww hes adorable. ignore me im daft as a brush :) review please tell me your thoughts :)**


	4. A Quiet Night In?

Alice walked into hers and Danny's bedroom. She felt all fresh from her long luxurious bath. She loved her spa tub that eased her back. She still had twinges at the base of her spine and if she stood too long she tended to limp on her left leg. Apart from that she was just so relieved that she could walk! She had her baby blue pyjama bottoms on with the matching spaghetti strap top. She walked in and smiled at Danny who lay on the bed. He was engrossed in a motorcycle booklet. He looked up and spotted her. A familiar look came over his face. His green eyes turned viscous and hot. They smouldered with intensity as he looked at her. He closed the book he was looking at and crossed the room to where Alice stood. He took her in his arms and bent over so his face was buried in her neck.

"Do I pass the inspection for a kiss Mrs Trevanion?" he asked softly. His mouth close to her ear.

Alice smiled and leaned back, looked at his face. "Still got a mark there." she rubbed it.

"Must have missed it in the shower. Wouldn't of happened if you were in there with me." he eyes held a wicked light.

"Na it's just Danny!" she said smiling. "I guess you pass."

"Good!" he said and kissed her deeply. Passionately. Butterflies took flight in her stomach and electric shocks whizzed down her spine. The feelings he evoked in her hadn't changed, the only difference was with time they had only grown more powerful and intense. When he kissed her like this he made her weak. Like her body was soft pliable under his strong sure hands. If his arms weren't around her she was sure she'd slide to the floor in a puddle of liquid at his feet. She still loved him as much as she ever had and couldn't envisage life without him! She felt her arms pulling him involuntarily towards the bed. She felt his smile.

"Honey." he murmured.

"Ssshhh!" she replied and kissed him again.

She felt her legs hit the bed. She sat down then pulled his face to hers for another kiss. She felt sanity slipping. Control quickly leaving then she remembered they had 2 teenagers in the house. Teenagers who were no doubt awake. She groaned and pulled away.

"Sorry honey kids are awake!" she squeaked.

"Kids!" he grumbled smiling.

Alice rolled over one way and he rolled the other. They lay on the bed, their hands intertwined. They couldn't go long without touching. Even it was just holding hands. They both knew how fast something can go bad or a relationship can go wrong. They told each other all the time, by touching or talking how much they adored each other and how devoted they were. 10 years had only strengthened the bond between them, it felt completely unbreakable now. They were truly untouchable!

Alice rolled onto her stomach and looked at her husband. She twirled her finger on his chest. "So what happened with you and Ethan?"

Danny rolled onto his side and looked into her eyes. Played with a strand of her hair. Still damp from her bath. He still loves her hair. "I found him goading a group of about 12 boys. He got in a couple of good punches too. That all changed though when the kid pulled out a knife. I wasn't going to step in if Ethan started it and it was fair but no way was he using a knife on him!"

Alice gasped when she heard knife. She touched the scar just below his neck.

"I of course stepped in, kept him behind me and tried to back of slowly. The kid was outta his head seeing as Eth had embarrassed him in front of his friends. He was waving the knife around playing the big man. Got me too. Little swine ruined my best shirt!"

Alice face turned dark. She then noticed the bandage on his arm. Her face turned pained as she saw the nasty looking red line on his arm. "Danny." she said softly her voice trembled. "That could have been your face. What if he'd plunged it into your chest?" she said softly. She'd been feeling all hormonal lately!

"Aw Alice honey, I've cut myself worse shaving. I'm fine really. Ethan told me I should have let the boy stab him though!"

"Oh Danny!" she said. She was really close to tears here and she didn't know why!"

"I brought him home. He said some….. Stuff. I kinda momentarily lost it. Held him up against a wall!" he said sheepishly.

Alice whacked his chest angrily. Tears forgotten. "What were you thinking?"

"OW!" he said. "I left him alone, then went back to talk. Tried to clear the air, you know get to know him. Told him the condensed story of what happened to you. He doesn't think it's you. When I explained about your attitude he was sure I wasn't talking about you. You haven't got a kick your ass attitude. You stop fights not have them." Danny laughed softly. "That's what he said anyway." Danny's smile disappeared. "He told me about his mother. Her death. God Alice that poor kid, he damn near broke my heart. Hearing something like that from a babies perspective. And he was just a baby Alice. 12 years old. We had a little emotional moment." He didn't tell her Ethan cried. He wouldn't like that. He liked everyone to see him as a tough guy. "We started talking about what he was interested in. He said he wanted to be a mechanic, and I showed him the motorcycle. We're rebuilding it together. He's a complete natural. I spend my time poring over books and he just knows where stuff goes!"

"Are you sure you wanna spend time together next to sharp heavy objects?" Alice joked.

"I think we'll be fine. You don't have to worry about us. I think he finally believes that I won't hurt him. Its only took forever to convince him. It should be plain sailing from here on in!"

"That's good to know!" she said smiling.

He rolled over so he was straddling her hips. "You think the kids are asleep yet?" Danny asked and kissed her again.

(X)

Lexi left her room and heard her mother and father giggling in their room. She winced and practically ran to Ethan's room. She knocked quickly then let herself in. she sighed in relief when she heard he had music on. He was listening to Eminem. That's all he seemed to listen to at the moment.

"What's the matter with you?" he asked. When he saw her sickened expression.

"Mum and dad. They're giggling!" she said in disgust. "I mean how old are they and they're giggling!"

Ethan smiled widely. "Young at heart." he murmured. "What do ya want from the freak show Lex?" he asked.

She walked and sat opposite him on the bed. She crossed her legs. "I actually came to say sorry for calling you a freak show. I don't think you're a freak show." she was silent for a moment then grinned at him. "Well not a big one."

He smiled back her. Her smile was so infectious. You couldn't stay mad at Lexi when she smiled at you. "Don't worry bout it. Sorry for comparing you to your dad. I only did it to get your goat."

He got up and stopped the CD. "You wanna listen to anything?"

She smiled and handed him a CD from the pocket of her jumper.

"Darren Hayes. C'mon he's well a woman. No man can go that high naturally." Ethan ribbed.

"Please. I put up with 50 Cent yesterday!"

He shook his head playfully. Then placed the CD in the player. The music began and he was singing highly. Ethan snorted in disgust.

Anyway picking up from before. I don't mind the comparisons to my dad. Not really he's an ok guy. It's the height. I'm a freaking moose!"

"C'mon Lex!" he said softly.

"Eth no boys will come near me. Embarrassed by the fact I tower over them. I'm freaking huge and it's all my stupid dad's fault. I also look the double of him. It doesn't bother me like I said but he could have gave mum a chance you know. I mean she's really pretty and I'm just me! He's just a greedy man!"

Ethan laughed. "Poor baby! You don't look exactly like him anyway. Your face is softer. Your eyes a shade lighter. Your smile I admit is all your father and the way you angle your head when you talk. Also the twinkle when your planning. But over all your much too pretty to look exactly like your father!" he smiled a small half smile at her. He then heard the lyrics of the song that was playing. His face turned thunderous.

Long ago when Mercury descended high on the moon.

Far below where little hands are making shapes in the room.

The shadows they dance and they cheer up this place.

The face that's staring through a tiny crack in the door.

**Eyes so wide he's never seen a woman fall on the floor. **

**I swear daddy's killed her this time. **

Ethan heard the last two lines and jumped up from his bed. As the singer was singing about smashing his fathers face with a hammer Ethan grabbed his CD player and shoved it forcefully to the floor. He had to stop that music. It was far too close to home. He refused to listen to it! It landed with a clatter. His fists clenched. He seen his mothers face as she lay on the floor. Lexi jumped up.

"Ethan you ok?"

"Give me a minute!" he hissed.

"I'm so sorry Eth."

"GIVE ME A MINUTE!" he yelled. He then saw her face. "Aw Lex." he said. "I'm sorry. It just brought up memories you know. They aren't the easiest thing to remember."

She touched his face, "I wouldn't have brought it in if I known it had that song. It's Shay's disc. She lent it to me."

He sat her back down on the bed when he heard a knock on the door. She dived behind his bed as her mother walked in the room.

Alice saw him picking up his CD player.

"Hey Eth son you ok?"

"Yeah I'm ok. I tried to pick my CD player up to move it and it sorta fell from my hand. Had a weak moment I guess."

Alice didn't believe him for a second "As long as your ok son." she touched his face. "Night." and then closed his door.

He saw Lexi's face peek from the floor by his bed.

"Is the coast clear?"

He smiled and plugged his CD player back in. "I think so."

She stood up. She smiled a huge smile at him.

"Your so pretty." he breathed.

"Yeah right Eth. Like you think that. We hate each other!"

Ethan frowned at her. "Lexi you've got it wrong. I don't hate you. You annoy me. Frustrate me. Confuse the hell out of me but not hate. I don't think I could ever hate you!" he then turned his back and busied himself with the CD player. Lexi was quiet. Great going Eth. She doesn't like you back and you've made her uncomfortable. He placed Eminem back in. He turned back round and saw her studying him. She gestured for him to sit by her. He did. Here comes the I love you but not like that speech - he could do without it. She looked in his eyes.

"I…" she faltered.

"What your flattered?" he asked drolly.

"No I feel the same." she whispered. She frowned. "It's like I wanna be your friend. But find myself provoking you. Like I need you to look at me. Coz all I do is stare at you. Then after we've argued and I've looked at your gorgeous eyes sparking with passion and fire you storm away and I have to follow you. I need to be around you. Does that make sense to you? It doesn't to me!"

"What so you provoke me to get my attention?" he asked puzzled.

"I dunno Ethan. You mix me up!"

"Your mum says we act like siblings, but your not my sister!"

"Your not my brother!" Lexi said at the same time.

Lexi leaned in closer involuntarily. "See I look at your face and I don't have sisterly feelings. I sorta think his face is so nice and I maybe wanna kiss him." Lexi was breathless.

"Me too." he said quietly.

He moved his face closer too. Their faces centimetres apart. There warm breath tickled the others face.

"What you waiting for?" Lexi asked.

He smiled then leaned in the rest of the way and his lips rested on hers. It was a sweet kiss. A chaste kiss. An innocent kiss.

He pulled away and looked at her. She smiled widely and then so did he.

"I expected that to be weird but it wasn't. It was nice!" she admitted.

"Why?"

"Coz of my parents."

"We aren't related Lex."

"I know but to them you are their son. I think it might be best if we don't tell them what just happened."

Ethan was offended. "Why?"

"Coz they'd think it's weird Ethan."

His face turned angry. "More like your ashamed of me!"

"No Ethan."

She went to grab his hand. He pulled it away.

"Go away Lexi. You've had your experiment." he crossed his arms. "The foster kid has feelings believe it or not."

"I have NEVER treated you like that! I care for you too much." Lexi yelled. it's a good thing he had turned his music back on.

He turned his back on her. "Go away Lexi!"

"FINE!" Lexi replied. Walked from his room. What was up with him? She hadn't did anything wrong! Stupid idiot boys! She'll never understand them!

**A/N this is just the bginning :O omnious words lol keep readin and review please.**

**ps. thanks 2 all the people who have reviewed so far. i appreciate all your postive words and comments :)**


	5. Jealousy

Breakfast the next morning was awkward. Lexi and Ethan wouldn't look at each other. Danny and Alice were all loved up so they wouldn't look at them either. Danny put his arm around Alice's waist from behind and whispered in Alice's ear. She turned around smiled and kissed him.

"Eew! People are having breakfast here!" Lexi declared.

Danny and Alice laughed. Danny looked at his daughter. "You'll understand when you fall in love!"

"Yeah but I won't torture my poor kids! This is like total child abuse making me sit through that. Yuck!"

Both Danny and Alice laughed loudly.

"I'm glad you find it so amusing!" Lexi said dryly and returned to her cereal. "Please refrain from anymore yuckness till I'm gone please."

"We'll try!" Danny said seriously.

"Love you honey!" he whispered.

"Oh my god get a room!" Lexi muttered.

Alice turned to the kids, "I'm at work today kids. So will you be ok to come home to an empty house for an hour? I'm finished at 4."

Both kids nodded.

"An empty house is preferable to that display!" Lexi said in disgust.

They kids then took their dinner money and left the house.

"Something's up Danny!" Alice warned.

"What? They were fine!"

"They weren't arguing!" Alice told him. "They're too quiet!"

"Maybe they ran out of stuff to argue about?" Danny said.

Alice arched a brow at him.

"Ok then maybe they're tired."

Alice shook her head. "Tell you what I'll finish your shift at the surgery and you come home and talk to them. If it's guy stuff Ethan will more likely confide in you rather than me. And Lexi tells her daddy everything!"

"But what happens if it's the time of the month where woman have no sense of humour? I fear for my life at those times and my sanity!"

"I'm pretty sure it's not. Don't worry!"

"As long as your sure!" he said dramatically. "But now my love we have to get to work. There are pets in need of vets!"

(X)

The school day passed pretty quickly. It was dinner time. Lexi was in so much trouble. She had completed next to no work and had cheeked her French teacher. Mrs Hedley head of department was well pissed. They'd rang her mum at work and now she was sat outside Mrs Hedley's classroom waiting to be killed off her mum, when she arrived that is. Stupid idiot Mr Lautret, it wasn't her fault he had no sense of humour! And his accent was so funny. She really couldn't help herself! He shouldn't have yelled at her and called her a stupid girl. Who was he calling stupid?

Mr Lautret walked out of the classroom and glared at her.

She grinned cockily at him. "Ze lesson iz over"

Her mother arrived and saw her daughter goading her teacher.

"Oh Lexi you are in BIG trouble!"

Lexi looked passed her teacher at her mothers face. "I'm innocent." she said and grinned a wide smile.

"I'm here to say the head of department." She said. "I didn't catch her name. The receptionist scribbled it down and it was smudged."

Mrs Hedley walked out of the classroom.

"Hello Mrs… Alice?" she asked.

"Mrs Hedley?" Alice asked.

"Wow, how long has it been. God at least 15 years!" Alice said. "It's good to see you."

"Yeah, and Alexis is your daughter."

"Can you not tell? The attitude gives her away!"

"HELLO this is supposed to be about me. If you'd rather catch up then discuss my transgressions I am in full agreement!" Lexi said sweetly.

"Lexi that tone works on no-one but your father!"

"Damn!"

They walked into a classroom. "Look Alexis was very rude and dis-respectful to a teacher here. We don't usually telephone parents after one incident but she went too far."

"What did you do?" Alice asked.

"I'm innocent. It wasn't me."

"Lexi don't give me that!"

"She basically disrupted the lesson from start to finish. And locked the teacher in his storage cupboard!"

"He never teaches us anything anyway. He's rubbish! And It wasn't me who locked him in. He just blamed me coz he's stupid!"

"Alexis Marie!" Alice warned.

Lexi was silent.

"I have to warn you any more incidents and she will be removed from French for good. The following year is an important year for this class. We can't jeopardise this for them."

"I agree with you completely. And Lexi will be as quiet as a mouse from now on!"

Lexi looked bored.

"Won't you Lexi."

"Squeak." she answered.

Mrs Hedley bit back a smile. "She is so much like you it's scary!"

"No she's mostly like Danny. She can control herself much better than I could at that age. I am a responsible calm adult now though as you can see."

"Is Daniel Trevanion her father?"

Alice nodded.

"Yeah we're happily married."

"Oh God am off, I so don't wanna listen to this. Truthfully it's sickly!" Lexi declared.

"Sorry I gotta get back to the surgery now anyway. We have a surgery scheduled in 30 minutes and I need to scrub up!"

"It was lovely seeing you Alice. I'm happy that you've done well for yourself and that your happy. You deserve it."

"And if Lexi gives you any more problems don't hesitate to get in touch. She can be abit hard headed and too much like me at times." Alice laughed.

"I can see that. Bye Alice."

Lexi walked out to the yard next to her mum.

"You are in so much trouble!"

"But mum it wasn't me! I did cheek him but I didn't lock him in."

"Who did then?"

"I'm not a grass mum."

"Then your as bad as them and will be punished accordingly!"

"I hate you!" Lexi said and walked away from her. Lexi looked back. "Dad would have understood."

Alice exhaled and walked towards her car. That girl got more like her every day. Not in a good way either. She was so hard headed but she was usually so reasonable with it like Danny. Not recently though!

This was all Ethan's fault! Lexi fumed as she walked away. If he hadn't had her so confused she wouldn't have worked the teacher. That's what this was about. She had been wondering what was going on in Ethan's head when the teacher asked her a question in French. Instead of answering him she'd answered huh? He then went wild, shouting in her face. He took offence at the word huh and thought she was being funny. If the shouting hadn't been bad enough he'd called her stupid too. That had been it. She'd stood up and threw a load of Glasgow slang at him. Not the nicest words either. Shauna had taught her them. He'd been enraged. Went to his cupboard to get his serious incident book and some idiot boy pulled the door closed and wouldn't let him out. Lexi had went over to move him, she was in enough trouble but the when the boy had moved he blamed her! Like she could hold the door closed on a fully grown man. He hadn't believed her so she'd flung more Scottish slang at him along with some swear words too. That's when Mrs Hedley had walked in! Mrs Hedley compared her to her mum. Yeah right. She'd probably been an angel at school. Her mum in trouble? Not in this lifetime!

She had come to some conclusions about Ethan. She knew deep down that she didn't love him. She cared! But it wasn't deep enough for love. He wasn't the first thing she thought of when she woke up, although she thought about him a lot during the day. She also found herself noticing the other good looking boys in her year too. She didn't look at him the way her mum looked at her dad. Or get that look on her face when she spoke about him. Lexi wasn't going to think about that too much. Eew! But she did care and that had to count for something with him! She walked and saw him flirting with her friend Shay. He was laughing and joking. Shay looked like she was about to pass out from excitement. Lexi was suddenly really angry.

"Hey Eth!" she said and smiled.

"Lexi." he said dismissively. he turned on the charm. "Thanks for your number Shay. I don't know if I'll be able to dial it though. My head will be so full of thoughts of you all rational thought will be beyond me." he then winked at Shay and walked away.

Lexi rolled her eyes.

Shay smiled dreamily. "How do you live with him? He's so gorgeous I well wouldn't be able to control myself!"

"He's not that good looking!" Lexi replied.

"Are you serious. Look at him. So brooding. Those moody brown eyes. Ooo I get shivers thinking about it! He's easy the best looking lad in the school, if not the whole entire town of Bristol! Or even the world. He's practically a God in human form!"

"Get real Shay!"

Lexi looked up and noticed him staring at her. He gave her a cocky half smile. Her breath caught when she saw him smile. Then she shook her head.

"Look at him looking at me!" Shay whispered. "That sexy smile!"

You wish! Lexi thought meanly.

Ethan wiggled his eyebrows then winked.

"I'm so in there!" Shay said excitedly. "I wonder if he'll call me tonight."

"Whatever!" Lexi muttered jealously.

Home time came quickly. Lexi was sick of shays never ending chatter about the God that is Ethan! Ethan caught up to her. "Hey babe." he said and tried to grab her hand. She jerked it away.

"That show you put on for Shay. Not at all amusing. You want to get back at me for hurting you. But my best friend Eth c'mon!" she said angrily.

"No Lexi, I wanted you to see what it's like when someone you care about pretends they don't to other people. Not nice is it. Hurts don't it!"

"They're my parents Eth. I wouldn't have told them if it hadn't been you or if you hadn't have lived with us!"

"Yeah and I realise that now. Please we have an hour alone. Can we just do normal boyfriend girlfriend stuff?"

Lexi raised her eyebrows. Stopped walking and looked at him. "Is that what we are?"

He looked nervous. "Dunno."

Lexi smiled at his tone. He was so cute sometimes! "C'mon then boyfriend." she then held his hand as they walked home.

At home they talked more about stuff they liked. Basically got to know each other. They had quite a lot in common. Their taste in music though poles apart.

"Can you rap?" she asked.

"Abit." he replied.

"Rap me a song."

"Aw Lexi no. It's something I do in private you know. It's embarrassing."

"Please Eth."

"Ok but I pick the song."

"I pick the album then!" she spoke up quickly. "I pick Eminems new album."

"Love the way you lie." he said.

"Aw no Eth. You know what that songs about."

"Its ok Lexi." he then pressed play. Gathered himself as Rhianana sang her bit.

As soon as Eminem started he did to. He nodded his head slightly. As he went along with Eminem. Word perfect. Timing perfect too. He did it effortlessly. Like he didn't even have to think. She was well impressed. He knew all the words and said them so clearly. He didn't mumble. She heard him project emotion in his voice too. At the quick bits he didn't stumble. She was amazed at how good he is!

The song ended and he was clearly embarrassed. "Told you I wasn't very good.

"What you on about Ethan that was amazing. Can you write your own?"

He handed her a sheet of paper. "Write down 4 random words and I'll make a paragraph up for you."

"Really?" she asked.

He nodded.

Lexi got an evil gleam. "Any 4 words?"

He nodded.

She thought then scribbled on the paper and handed it to him smiling.

"Ok we have Away, smile, Chocolate and aw c'mon Lex what am I supposed to do with Madagascar? Are you being funny?"

She smiled widely at him and nodded.

He raised his eyebrows. "Well it's your fault if I can't do it!" he was silent for a moment. Nodding his head mumbling. He smiled. "Got one!" he said.

"So quick?" Lexi asked amazed.

"Yeah it's pretty good too, if I do say so myself. Hum a beat for me please."

Lexi started humming and he got a feel for the beat then started.

**You and I should get AWAY for a while**

**I just wanna be alone with your SMILE.**

**Buy some CHOCOLATE and crisps and get in a car**

**Blast the stereo and drive to MADAGASCAR.**

Lexi laughed. "Wow that was good. I've got more words!"

He handed her the paper and she wrote them down. Passed it back to Ethan.

"Aw Lex you pick the weirdest words did you deliberately think of ones I can't use?"

"Yes!" she giggled.

"Ok we have life, hand, laugh and toaster. How the hell am I supposed to use toaster?"

Ethan nodded his head thinking.

"There's no way…" Lexi started.

"Got one!" he said grinning. "Hum for me then sweetie."

Lexi did.

**Lexi, LIFE was getting so bland**

**Just wanna sit and hold your HAND.**

**Sometimes it makes me wanna LAUGH.**

**Othertimes I wanna take my TOASTER in the bath.**

Ethan smiled and then bowed at her. Lexi laughed so hard at the last line.

"Wow how'd you do it?" she asked.

"I dunno. It's a bit like writing poetry I suppose but putting it to music. Syllables and stuff."

Ethan then tured his music back on.

Lexi looked at him and asked. "You ok with my dad?"

"Yeah he's ok why?"

"I just want you to lay off him. He's a good guy."

"Yeah I know. He stood in front of a blade meant for me yesterday!"

Lexi's jaw dropped. "My dad got stabbed?"

"More like cut." Ethan replied.

"And you didn't think to tell me?"

"If he wanted you to know he would have told you!"

"That's not the point Eth!"

"Lex he's fine. All limbs still attached. All major organs fine. He bled a little but hey it was a cut."

"Go on joke. It wasn't your dad stabbed!"

"Like I'd care!"

"Don't dare turn this round. You should have told me!"

"Look Lex you don't have to worry he's good at dealing with stuff like that. He was so calm it was scary. I'm sorta relieved he was there I wouldn't have been able to deal with it the way he did!"

"I don't like you or my dad being in danger like that. Don't do it anymore. Please!"

Ethan looked at Lexi's earnest expression. "Ok I'll find another way to deal with my anger I was just so enraged over Derek!" he pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "He's a sicko and is never getting near you!"

Lexi smiled at him. Then noticed the time.

"C'mon mum'll be home soon. She doesn't mind me being in your room. But I don't wanna give them any clues. And no I'm not ashamed of you."

She pressed a quick kiss to his mouth.

Ethan clammed up and followed her to the kitchen. He still wasn't happy though!

**A/N this chapter is a build up chapter if u know wot i mean. plus want to thank blink 182 for giving me help with the little rap bit. i sorta used a template from one of their songs and changed the words. i tried to write my own bt it was well rubbish lol so i cheated abit, at least i changed the words tho lol i know bt am rubbish at poetry lol :)**

**hpe u enjoyed and review please x**


	6. Arguements

Ethan and Lexi stood by the bench in the kitchen.

"You wanna sandwich?" she asked.

"You making?"

"No I was gonna say make me one while your there." Lexi said laughing. "Only joking."

"Go on then."

"How about a Lexi deluxe?"

Ethan got a wicked look in his eye.

"You wish Eth!" she kissed his cheek as she passed.

She pulled everything they had from the fridge and started work on her masterpieces.

"What's a Lexi deluxe?"

"Let me explain. Me and dad devised this together see when I was quite young. My mum was really ill in bed. Couldn't move. So me and dad were left to our own devices. Normally he would have cooked but he'd hadn't had any sleep in nearly 36 hours so he was like dead on his feet. So he pulled all sorts out of the fridge and we built a sandwich. The reason it's full of everything is coz he basically left me to it. He was trying so hard to keep himself awake. Surprisingly it tasted really good. It has been refined over the years."

She handed him a plate. He stared at the mountain she called a sandwich which stood in front of him. He looked at hers which was just as big.

"I'm looking forward to this. Haven't had a Lexi deluxe in ages."

"There's no way you be able to eat all that Lex!"

"Wanna bet?" she asked cockily

"Ok, but I decide my payment after you can't finish!"

"Ok. I should tell you though me and dads been eating these for nearly 10 years and I have finished every single one!"

They walked out of the back yard and sat on the chairs in the sun.

"This is nice, just us 2 alone. No adults. You know where we can be ourselves as a couple. Not having to put on a act." he murmured and bit into his sandwich.

Lexi nodded in agreement. "What do you think of the sandwich."

"It's really nice. You'll have to tell me how you make it."

"Sorry daddy daughter secret. If I told you I'd have to kill you!" she joked.

He smiled and held her hand. They were just finishing their sandwiches when they heard the front door open. She tried to pull her hand from his grasp. He held on tight.

"Ethan!" she whispered and jerked her hand. He refused to let go. "ETHAN!" she said more forcefully.

He looked angry then released it.

Lexi jumped up away from him. "I can't believe you tried to do that to me you…you freak show!" she stormed in the house passed her dad.

"Hey baby girl." he said as she passed. He smiled at her expression.

Ethan was still sat outside seething. He wasn't putting up with her I really like you but I'm not telling my parents crap. They lived together they couldn't keep it a secret forever.

Danny walked outside a cup of coffee in his hands a grin across his face. "Hey kid, you and Lexi off again?"

"No actually we kissed last night."

Danny nearly choked on his coffee.

Lexi popped her head out of the bathroom window above them.

"I so can't believe you told him!" she shrieked. Her head disappeared and they heard the thump of footsteps.

Danny was a little shocked. Well a lot if he was being honest!

Lexi appeared. "Jerk!" she yelled.

"What did you expect me to do? Your ashamed of me!"

"No I'm not. I didn't want them to go mad or send you away!"

"He hasn't gone mad!"

"No he's went into catatonic shock look at him does he look normal to you?"

"Umm." Danny said trying to gather some thoughts. "How long…is this…." Danny came to his senses. "You two haven't…"

"God NO!" they exclaimed at the same time.

"Look I know that physically you aren't related but you live in the same house. Doesn't this seem even slightly weird to you too?"

"Not at all!" Ethan said.

"And dad you told me that mum practically lived with you when you were 15. It's nearly the same thing."

Ethan's eyes went dark. Remembering his and Danny's conversation yesterday. Danny looked at Lexi then shook his head slightly. Ethan nodded in understanding.

"Stop shaking your head dad. It SO is the same thing!" Lexi told him. Interpreting his shake as her being wrong.

"Lexi we will talk about this when your mum gets home!" Danny said stiffly.

"That's bound to be fun. I'm going out. And you can stay away from me!" Lexi spat at Ethan. "See what you've caused?"

"I did the right thing!" Was all Ethan would say.

Lexi left the yard. Leaving Ethan and Danny standing in front of each other.

"Why didn't you tell me it was Alice?"

"Coz it wasn't!"

"Wake up and smell the bullshit Danny. I wasn't born yesterday."

"It wasn't my place to tell you specifics."

"And Lexi?"

"What about her?" Danny's eyes narrowed.

"Well her age makes you and Alice 16 when she was conceived. About the same time as…."

"She's mine!" Danny said angrily.

"Your very alike." was all Ethan would say.

"So now what about YOU and Lexi?" Danny questioned. He crossed his arms and his eyes were suspicious.

"What about me and Lexi?"

"That's what I asked." Danny said sternly.

"Cut the crap Danny!"

"You using her to get to me?" Danny asked the suspicion never leaving his tone.

Ethan's fists clenched. He felt his anger build. It felt familiar like an old friend. "You think I'd do that?"

"No. But I can't be sure. See you went picking fights with knife wielding maniac's. I thought you wouldn't do that either. And after what you said yesterday about Derek I'm not taking any chances!"

Ethan took a step forward. "You out of order!" he hissed. He and Danny stood nose to nose. Neither man flinched.

"She's my 15 year old daughter. I don't want her hurt!" Danny warned.

"Go to hell Trevanion!" Ethan said malevolently. He then stomped out of the garden.

Danny sat down a chair. His thoughts whizzed round his head so fast he didn't have time to think before the next one appeared. Lexi and Ethan? Then again Alice had told him something was up. He thought back to the look on their faces as they'd been arguing. Sure they had been angry but their eyes had a passionate sparkle. And even though they were angry there voices still held a soft edge.

"Way to go Danny!"

He rubbed his face. It was bound to happen. I mean they were good looking kids and there hormones were all over. He'd been so wrong to say what he did to Ethan. They obviously cared. It was obvious in their words and tone and most of all in their eyes when they looked at each other. He'd sort this out when Ethan returned home.

(X)

Alice and Lexi sat at home. Waiting for Ethan to return. It was 9 o'clock and they hadn't heard from him since after 4. Danny had left countless messages on his voicemail. He'd been out in the car too. They'd phoned all his friends but no-one had seen him. It was like he had fell off the face of the earth. Danny was pacing. Alice was fidgeting. Lexi was doing sudokus but kept checking her phone. Every so often she would look at him angrily.

"I'm going out in the car again!" Danny said.

"Me too!" Lexi chimed in.

"No Lexi."

"Don't even try to stop me dad!"

"I'll stay at home in case he phones or comes home." Alice tone didn't sound optimistic.

Lexi and Danny climbed in the car.

"Belt up!" Danny said.

They drove in silence for a few minutes.

"What the hell did you say to him?" Lexi asked angrily. Her eyes flashed like her mothers when she's angry.

"You wouldn't understand Lex so keep looking!"

"So it's that bad?" Lexi said a nasty edge to her tone.

"Lexi if you don't be quiet and keep looking I'm gonna take you home and look myself. I don't need your guilt trip right now. I'm on a big enough one without you helping ok!"

Lexi quieted. "This is all my fault." she whispered.

"No sweetie it's not!"

"It is. I didn't want to tell you and he did. If I hadn't pushed him he wouldn't have ran away. I instigated the kiss too so it's doubly my fault!"

Lexi was crying big silent tears down her face. They arrived back at the house. Danny shook his head. Alice picked up the phone. "I'd like to report a missing child."

(X)

The police came. Took a sample of Ethan's clothes. Took a photograph and a description of what he was wearing. Danny had to explain his state of mind he'd been in when he left. 2 hours had passed and still no word. Alice felt ill. Lexi had fell asleep on the chair. They kept phoning his phone but there was never a reply.

"God Alice I'll never forgive myself if anything happens to him!" Danny said his tone one of devastation.

"This isn't your fault Danny."

"Yes it is. Look." he lowered his voice. Even though Lexi was asleep he didn't want her overhearing this. "He told me he and Lexi kissed last night."

"What?" Alice exclaimed. "But they are practically family!"

"Not to them Alice."

She nodded in understanding.

"I sorta went into shock. They were arguing and I was stood there like a mute or something. I told them we had to speak to you and Lexi stormed away in typical Lexi fashion. Then when we were alone I accused him of using her to provoke me!"

Alice's eyes narrowed. "Daniel I could swing for you. Your not usually so tactless. What's wrong with you?"

"I was shocked and she's my baby. I was worried about her. I don't want her hurt. What else was I supposed to think?"

"That she's a gorgeous young woman, look at her!"

Danny looked at his sleeping child. At times he still remembered her as the 4 year old girl he'd met all those years ago. It was hard letting her grow up. She was so beautiful though. He wasn't just saying that coz he's her father either. "I know Alice, I hate myself right now. If anything happens to him…."

Danny trailed off. It didn't bear thinking about.

There was a loud ominous knock on the front door. He and Alice rushed to answer it.

Alice opened the door. Two policeman stood there. Grave expressions on their faces. Alice felt a ball of apprehension settle in the pit of her stomach. Her hand rushed to her mouth. She felt sick.

"Is this Ethan Bell's residence. Are you his legal guardians?"

Alice didn't hear his words, the tone echoed in her brain. The blood rushed to her head and the sound of it roared in her ears. She looked at Danny. "He's dead!" she whispered and passed out cold.

**A/N hopefully next chappie shud b up straight away. my internet is being an idiot grrr!**


	7. Aftermath

"Christ man did you have to sound like somebody died?" Ethan exclaimed and walked from around the corner.

Danny's face was one of pure relief when he saw Ethan unharmed. He bent over and picked Alice up. He motioned to the officers to come inside. He lain Alice gently on the sofa. He then pulled Ethan close for a hug.

"Get off me Trevanion!" he warned.

Danny released him and went to get a cold compress for Alice's head. Ethan was kneeling by her patting her hand whispering her name. Danny put the compress on her head. The police motioned him over.

"What happened?" Danny asked.

He was found at a bar. A particularly rough bar. Some people stopped him from pouring a drink down a bikers leather jacket."

Danny paled. They'd have killed him for sure!

"Luckily those people dragged him away and restrained him while we were called."

"Thank you officers." Danny said and led them out.

He returned to the living room and sat by Alice. He caressed her face. "Alice honey." he murmured. Her eyes fluttered then opened slowly. "Danny?" she asked softly then "ETHAN!" she was panicked.

"He's ok. He's home."

Danny stood up and Alice caught sight of Ethan kneeling beside her. She sat up quickly and pulled him close for a tight hug. "Aw Ethan son I was so worried!" she squeezed him. "Don't ever worry me like that again!" she warned her voice rough with emotion.

"I'm sorry Alice." Ethan said contritely.

Lexi had came awake on the chair. Noticed him hugging her mum on the sofa. "Ethan!" she shouted. He came out of Alice's hug.

"Lexi." he said blandly. She ran over and hugged him. Even tighter than her mum had done. His arms remained at his sides. "I'm sorry Ethan."

He extracted himself from Lexi's arms. "I'm going to shower then bed." he said. He didn't wait for anyone's reply. He just left the room.

Lexi looked confused.

"Go to bed Lexi. We'll talk in the morning." Alice said.

Lexi followed Ethan upstairs and walked into her room. She closed the door.

"Thank God he's ok!" Alice breathed in relief.

"Yeah!" Danny replied. "He hates me again though I'm not surprised either."

"Aw Danny give him time to calm down. He'll come around!"

"Maybe." Danny shrugged.

"It's Saturday tomorrow. Our busiest day at the surgery. I'll telephone an agency. We'll go down to Glasgow huh. Spend the day as a family. Go see mum and Brian. Maybe make a weekend of it?" Alice suggested.

He shrugged again. He was lost in dark thoughts.

"C'mon honey, you look shattered we'll go to bed." Alice said and kissed him softly.

Danny lay in the darkness, unable to sleep. "Ethan could have got himself killed tonight Alice."

"Huh?" Alice said sleepily.

"He was found at a hard biker bar. Just about to pour a drink down one of their leather jackets."

"Oh my God, does he know what they would have did to him?"

Danny disregarded her question. "Alice I'm a rubbish father!"

Alice face him. "No Danny. You did one thing wrong."

"Yeah and it almost got him killed!"

She snuggled into his side. "Don't doubt yourself Danny. We aren't perfect. No one is. Not even close."

"Well I've got to be!"

"Don't be stupid Danny!"

"Alice I'm being serious. If ever I endanger one of our kids again I'll go. They're too important!"

Alice raised herself up onto a elbow and looked at him. "Now you ARE being stupid!"

"No Alice I'm being safe. Do you want to lose one or both of them?"

"We won't Danny!" she said.

"Not because of me Alice!"

"So you'll up and leave us without a backward glance?"

"Yes." Danny replied simply.

"You're an asshole Daniel!" she said. She turned over and ignored him.

(-)

It was 2am. The house was quiet. Lexi grabbed the torch she'd stashed under her pillow. She'd snagged it from the toolbox. She opened the door to her room and crept out. She held her breath for a moment. No sound came from Ethan's room or her parents. She'd have to be very quiet as she doubted anyone was asleep. She walked down the stairs. She was too wired to sleep. She had to see Ethan. Had to talk to him. She had been so worried about him. She didn't want anything to happen to him. It would kill her if it did! She went in the fridge and took out 2 drinks. She'd got these mainly coz she was parched and the other coz she wanted a peace offering. This is how her dad use to smooth out things when he'd upset her. It seemed to work as a ice breaker so she'd decided to try it! If it didn't she'd just kiss him that would probably work! She crept back upstairs and turned her torch off. Crept in Ethan's room. He was awake, lying with his back to the door. He had his Ipod on listening to Eminem. She heard him rapping softly. She crept over and put her hand on his back. Before she knew it she was pinned under him his arm pressed against her throat. Her breath came out in funny little gasps and she croaked when she tried to talk.

"God Lexi!" he breathed and released her. He rubbed her throat softly. "Don't sneak up on me please. And don't ever touch me from behind. It happened to many times before. It wasn't in the best of circumstances too!"

He suddenly realised he was only wearing boxers and he was lying on top of her. He guessed she was wearing shorts too as he felt her legs against his. Oh god they were SHORT shorts too. He caught sight of her t-shirt. Old and tatty and washed many times. It was badly faded. Oh God! He scrambled off her and gulped. "Sorry!"

She sat up and picked up the can of pop from the floor. As she bent down her t-shirt rode up. He looked at the sky. Oh god was she trying to kill him? She handed it to him.

"Tap the top a few times. It won't fizz up."

It might not but he was pretty close!

He tapped it opened it and took a long drink.

She looked at him. "I'm glad your ok Eth." she put her drink down and took his from his hand. She placed it by hers. She pulled him to her. Pressed her lips to his. After a minute she leaned back till she was lying down and he was on top of her kissing deeply. This wasn't innocent or chaste. This was a proper kiss. With more passion then they thought possible. He felt himself responding. He jumped off her and crossed the room. They were breathing heavily.

"Wow!" she said "Sorry bout the pulling you down bit. I sorta got carried away!"

He shook his head. He was dying to get back on the bed and pick up where they left off but he had stuff to say. "Lexi. We can't do this anymore!" he finally said.

"What, why?" she asked confused.

"I almost got myself killed trying to prove to myself and your dad that I didn't care. The problem is I do care. I care a hell of a lot!"

"I don't understand Ethan."

"Lets start at the beginning shall we. I wanted to tell your parents you didn't. I wasn't ashamed of you."

"Ethan they would have thought we were weird. They wouldn't have let us have 5 minutes alone. They'd treat us like we were going to rip each others clothes off."

"Isn't that what just nearly happened there?"

Lexi blushed.

"Actually Lexi I think the only person who finds us weird is YOU! Admit it!"

"Plus all this doesn't matter, they know now. We can listen to their claptrap and then carry on a normal."

"Yeah but Lex I had to tell your dad. By myself. I wanted us to deal with it together. Sneaking around isn't my style!"

"It's not mine either."

"Why did you wait till now to kiss me? Why not kiss me in front of your parents then. I call that sneaking around."

"Coz firstly kissing you in front of my parents WOULD be weird. But that would be the same with any boy. I wouldn't kiss anyone in front of them. And secondly it was late last night and like they'll let me in your room from now on!"

"That's load of crap Lexi. You just won't kiss me in front of them."

"Look if that's what you want me to do then I'll do it."

"Lexi I want you to want to kiss me. Not coz I want you to. " Ethan looked sad. "Lexi I want you to leave me alone. For good. Don't talk to me. Don't look at me. Me and you we never happened."

"Why do you want to do that?" Lexi was hurt. "I thought you liked me!"

"I did. I do. But it's better this way."

"Ok then." she said softly in a stunned tone. She walked from his room robotically. What had just happened? Lexi wondered.

Ethan stayed in the corner of his room for a while. He then walked over to his bed and sat down. It still retained a slight heat from her body. Or was that his imagination? Right that had been the hardest thing out of the way. He had part B to complete tomorrow. Very symbolic to him. God he wished they'd never adopted him he hated it here!

**A/N oh no the family is badly fractured. no one likes each other at the moment. danny is getting it from lexi ethan and alice too. will the family survive? keep reading to find out.**

**review please, all reviews i have got so far are greatly appreciated :) x**


	8. Falling Apart

Morning came quickly. Ethan rose from bed at 6. He sat in the kitchen watching the soft morning light from the window. Birds tweeted softly. It was a peaceful quiet morning but the feelings raging through Ethan were far from tranquil and some of them definitely weren't nice! He hadn't had any sleep at all. He'd hoped for a few hours before Lexi had came in his room. It soon became apparent that he wouldn't be able to sleep after she left. He felt so awful hurting her. He spent his time trying to convince himself that he didn't care and trying not to run in her room and throw himself at her feet apologising and begging her not to listen to him. There was one thing he now knew for sure. He knew he didn't love her well not in a deep romantic way although he knew for sure if they had stayed together longer he would have fell for her hook line and sinker. She's just amazing. He cared a lot and still wanted to be with her but the pain he felt wasn't deep and intense. He could live with it. He knew it wouldn't take long to get over her. The type of love he felt for Lexi wasn't romantic and it wasn't brotherly. It was like something you would feel for your best friend. A deep affection but without the complication of a physical relationship. He loved Alice too. She sorta felt like an aunt to him. Or maybe a big sister, she watched out for him and listened to him. There was no way he could replace his mum, the reason why he liked her so much was coz she didn't try. She had carved out her own place in his life using time and patience. She was FAR too good for her husband! Him! Ethan hated him. How dare he disrespect him like that! He was well out of order belittling his feelings like that.

Ethan walked into the garage. His anger over what Danny had said spurred him on. It sorta went against everything inside him to do this but he wanted to show Danny their relationship was irreparable. He picked up a hammer and took on last look at the motorcycle engine he and Danny had worked on. His face twisted in hate. He swung the hard so hard it jarred his shoulder when the hammer impacted. He hit it and hit it. After he had obliterated the engine he went back inside to clean up. He still didn't feel better but taking it out on the engine was better than fighting with Danny and the way he was feeling he'd gladly do it too! He went into the living room and grabbed the PSP, trying to distract himself - it didn't work.

8 o'clock came too soon. Everyone was up. Lexi was sat at the breakfast table her head buried in a book although the pages never seemed to turn. There were dark circles beneath her eyes. Ethan was sat in the living room still playing the PSP ignoring everyone except Alice. The only one in this whole family who gave a damn about him and his feelings. Alice and Danny were making breakfast awkwardly. Small jerky movements trying to ensure that they didn't touch each other. If Lexi had been so caught up in her own misery she would have noticed. Her parents were always usually holding hands or giggling first thing on a morning. It was soon obvious that none of the 4 people had got much sleep last night!

"Ethan." Danny said "Breakfast."

Ethan ignored him.

"Ethan!" Danny snapped. Alice elbowed him and shot him a dark look.

He appeared at the kitchen doorway and looked at Danny with malevolence.

"Ethan when I ask you to do something you do it are we clear!" Danny said calmly but sternly.

"Do you want me to call you sir too?" Ethan asked insolently.

"I prefer your lord and master actually." Danny replied.

Lexi gave a small smile. Even Alice couldn't hold back the grin which spread across her features. Ethan's face never changed.

"Whatever floats your boat." he retorted dryly.

This is how Danny countered Ethan's defiance. The more he was cheeky and worked him. The more he made a joke of it. It irritated the life out of Ethan.

He grabbed his plate. "Thank you Alice." then he sat as far away from Lexi as possible. They ate in silence. Danny and Alice stood at opposite benches never looking at each other. Both trying to figure a way to bridge the gap between them. Both people hated this feeling that had emerged between them. The kids finished and Ethan stood up to leave.

"Ethan sit down." Alice said softly. "We've got to talk."

"No we don't." Lexi said playing with the scrambled eggs which were left on her plate.

"Lexi." Danny started.

"What you wanna talk about?" Ethan asked looking at them intently. Tying to make them uncomfortable.

"A lot of stuff actually. Firstly about your…." Alice faltered for a word. What was it they had. Was it a relationship? Or were they just messing around? Or was this just a one off? "We need to talk about the two of you."

"About our kiss you mean. Or the fact that we kissed more than once?" Ethan said cockily.

Ethan bit back a smile when he saw Danny go red.

"Yes actually!" Alice said "And cut the cocky crap Ethan it doesn't suit you!"

Ethan had the grace to look uncomfortable.

"We, me and Danny that is think that…"

Ethan looked up and interrupted Alice. "You don't have to worry about us kissing anymore. It won't happen again."

Alice looked confused. Even Danny looked at them.

"We've spoke about it and I came to the decision that we're not good together. Well that she's too good for me!"

"I never said that!" Lexi yelled.

"Anyway we agreed to stay away from each other. Only be together as a family when we need to. Don't worry nothing physical happened!"

Lexi who had went back to picking at her scrambled eggs, head shot up at his words.

"What so you wanna be my brother now?" she shouted.

Ethan looked at her calmly. "No. I'll never be your brother. Your not family to me!" Dammit he hadn't meant that the way it sounded.

Lexi jaw dropped slightly and her brow furrowed as his words sunk in. Her eyes glistened. Hurt was plain to see in every facet of her features.

"Your more like your dad than you think, he used fists you use words!" she said and stormed from the room. Not before Ethan saw her tars fall.

"Oh crap!" he murmured and covered his face with his hands.

Alice exhaled a large breath and shook her head.

"We'll leave her to calm down I'll go up and talk to her soon."

Alice agreed. She'd probably want a hug from her daddy. That always cheered her up.

"Now about last night." Danny started. "You can't just go out and pick fight with people Ethan. Do you realise you could have got yourself killed last night?"

"SO! Makes no difference to anyone's life if I die! No one cares a less about me."

Hurt passed across Alice's feature. O god he wasn't doing well today Ethan thought.

"That's not true Ethan. We love you. We all love you."

"I'm sorry Alice. But I sorta think that I'm like stray dog you pick off the street. You feed it, take care of it and even care about it but it isn't part of the family and never will be. Because it's different. Just like us!"

Danny was angry. This was hurting Alice. Her face was shattered. Her eyes glistened too.

"We haven't treated you any differently from Lexi!" he said with a hard edge.

"Not true Daniel! You give me far more leeway than you give her. You wouldn't allow her to talk to you the way I do! Not that any oft this matters anyway. I'm GONE on my 16th birthday. Before if I can swing it. O and Daniel I left you a little present in the garage. Consider it the same as our relationship!"

Ethan then got up and walked away from the table. He slammed the doors as he left.

"Why is my family falling apart?" Alice muttered to herself. She then looked at Danny. "Ethan hates you. Lexi hates Ethan and to top it all off you going to leave!"

Lexi had appeared at the kitchen door and heard her mother say those words. She gasped and covered her open mouth with her hand.

"Your leaving?" she asked her voice wobbled and her eyes filled with tears. "Coz of him?"

"Lexi baby daddy isn't…." he taken a step towards her.

"Well LEAVE then. I don't care. I HATE you!" she screamed and ran upstairs.

Danny winced then spun around and looked at Alice. "You knew she was there didn't you! You want her to hate me don't you. Don't even try to lie!" his tone was just short of livid.

"No Danny I didn't know she was there and I don't want her to hate you. She's your daughter and no matter what se says she'll always love you, unconditionally."

"Not now she doesn't!" he grabbed his keys from the rack. "I'm going to work!"

"You said you weren't today."

"I lied. Just like you did when you said you love me!" Danny told her nastily. He then left the kitchen and slammed the front door as he left.

Oh God this day couldn't get much worse. Danny had hurt her there. She wished she could just crawl into bed and wake up yesterday and start all over again. She then walked into the living room and heard Lexi's raised voice. She ran to the bottom of the stairs.

"If my dad leaves coz of you, you'd better watch your back coz I'll get you! I couldn't care what you've been through. Just coz your family is messed up your trying to ruin mine. Well it's not happening. My dad loves me and my mum, unlike yo…."

"ALEXIS MARIE TREVANION!" Alice yelled running up the stairs. "If I EVER hear you talking like that again you'll be in so much trouble you won't surface for years!"

She reached the top of the stairs. Ethan's bedroom door was wide open. Lexi stood in it. Fists clenched green eyes murderous.

"I warned you!" Lexi said in a deadly voice then stalked away from Ethan's door into her own room and slammed the door so hard the windows rattled.

Alice walked towards him. "Ethan son she didn't mean that she's just angry at Danny." she was stood on the landing outside his door.

"Is he leaving?" Ethan asked. He was sat on a chair looked a little shocked and a lot hurt by Lexi's words.

"No he won't."

"SHAME!" Ethan shouted and got up. He slammed the door.

Alice felt like her head was going to explode. "Somebody help me!" she whispered to the heavens.

She went to her daughters room and knocked. "Lexi baby."

"Leave me alone!" a small voice squeaked emotion think in its depths.

"Lexi it's mum can I come in? I wanna talk to you."

"Well I don't wanna talk to you I wanna talk to dad!"

"Lex he's at work."

"Can I visit him?" Lexi asked. She always had bee a daddies girl she idolised her father. He'd always been perfect to her. She couldn't remember a time when he hadn't been there for her. She had once asked why he wasn't in the baby pictures but they countered that by saying he spent a lot of time at college and work and they barely saw each other. And also there weren't many of Alice and Lexi together too. Any other time Danny would have loved having her at work. He always acted the proud father when she was there. Gushing over her. Smiling. Even when Lexi wasn't there he always spoke about her about how gorgeous she is. How smart how funny and how much he loved her, he spoke about Ethan too although he'd never visited the surgery.

"Lexi he'll be home later."

"I'm not leaving this room till I see him then!"

Alice felt weary and emotional. "Ok sweetie." Lexi would realise soon that her dad wouldn't leave them would he? That moment of doubt scared her. She quickly went to her room and closed the door. Resisted the urge to cry. She found herself picking up the phone.

"Mum I need your help." her voice cracked and finally broke. "My family is falling apart!" she cried.

**A/N oooo the is bad, can things possibly get any worse? could be keep reading to find out. review 2 pleaseeeeeee :)**


	9. Depressed

It was late. 12 o'clock at night late. Danny had been to work but he'd only stayed till two o'clock. It had been terrible! He'd felt like a student again. Second guessing his diagnosis, he was no help to the animals or the other vets in the place so he'd said he'd ring the agency. He'd just had to get out of there. The thing that had knocked him sideways was the pictures he had in his cubby hole. There were assorted ones of Lexi at various stages of her life. Him and Alice. Ethan. But the one that had really killed him was the family shot they'd had done about 6 months ago. To be honest the only person who wanted this done was Alice. He hated his photo taken. Ethan had grumbled from start to finish. And Lexi had complained that the photographer was completely missing her best side. Like she had one. She was 100% gorgeous from any angle. Anyways this one was his favourite Lexi was in front of him and Ethan was in front of Alice. Ethan had this cheesy grin coz of something Alice had said which had him laughing. He had his arm around Alice's shoulders and was sneaking a quick glance at her. She was doing the same to him. There smile said it all. The love that flowed between them. He also had his free hand holding Lexis hand. She of course had the most enchanting smile. The photographer had said that he's delete that one as he and Alice weren't looking but Danny had insisted they keep it. This was the picture that made him smile. Not it just reminded him of how far apart they were. They weren't the family in this picture. They were fractured. After that his day had gotten worse. He didn't want to endanger the animals so he decided to go. As soon as the agency vet arrived he asked the receptionist to sort the paperwork about paying him shook his hand and then practically ran from the surgery.

After that he had drove around in the car for 2 hours. Just drove to some quiet hilly parts to think. It didn't help. He didn't want to go home. To see his daughters face. Her heartbroken little face. See his green eyes accusing him! How could Alice do this to him? He said he'd leave so she took his daughter away from him. Did she view that as a fair swap? He eventually found himself at the cemetery. He bought some flowers and walked up to his mum and dads grave. They were buried together. He put the flowers in the vase there and looked at the picture of them on the gravestone. They looked so young and happy on it. He sat on the wet grass, unaware of it soaking through his trousers.

"Do you think I should leave them? Is that what's best? He asked straight away no messing round. His mum always knew when something was wrong anyway.

The sky went overcast for a moment. Like the sun had went behind a cloud. It sorta reminded him of his mums face when she frowned at him angrily. Or when he was being an idiot.

"It's not that I don't love them. I do. All 3 of them. Love them more than anything in this entire universe. Things were just starting to go right. Me and Ethan had found common ground. And Lexi she's just so amazing. She reminds me so much of myself I'm almost certain those results were wrong! But mum I can't endanger my family! If anything happened to them because of me I don't think I could survive it!"

There was an innocent silence in the graveyard.

"How do you hold a family together when everyone hates each other. Is it a waste of time to even try?"

He spent a few hours there pondering life's mysteries. He promised to come up soon and tell her what answers he came up with. If any. He was certain he heard his mum murmur that she knew he'd do the right thing. He wished he was so certain.

He had planned on going straight home from the grace yard but he spotted a bar and thought what the hell? No one was waiting for him at home and one drink wouldn't kill him. It was only 7 o'clock so everyone would be up and about. He couldn't talk to them right now. His trip to the graveyard had stripped him emotionally. All of the emotion he'd spilled onto his parents trying vainly to gain some answers from his mum. Plus he definitely wasn't eager to get home to the shouting and screaming which would invariably follow his arrival. It never occurred to him that Alice would be have to put endure the shouting and screaming his non arrival would bring!

So he'd had his one drink which had turned into 3 and 4 then 5 and suddenly he had lost count. He just kept putting off going home. He'd had the opportunity not to go home at all. A big blond woman had invited herself to join him. She'd offered him a shoulder amongst other things to cry on. She basically offered herself to him on a plate. He'd said he was married and she'd replied that he wife never had to know. He'd asked her to leave him alone. He so didn't want to deal with that tonight. She wasn't even remotely tempting simply because she wasn't Alice. He took his vows seriously and wasn't going to betray her with some cheap woman who had no morals!

After that he had noticed that the clock had creeped so it was 12 o'clock. He had telephoned a taxi after he realised he had drunk far to much to drive. He was now stood at his front door, reeking of that woman's cheap perfume after she had practically draped herself over him. Tempted he certainly was NOT! He let himself in and softly walked up the stairs. Used the shower by the spare bedroom as not to wake anyone. He braced his hands against the tiles and lowered his head and shoulders. It didn't ease the tension that had decided to take residence there. He climbed out towelled himself dry then wrapped the towel around his waist. He brushed his teeth using the spare toothbrush. He then walked into his and Alice's bedroom. He opened the wardrobe slowly and pulled out some sweatpants. He pulled on clean boxers then the trousers but left himself shirtless. He got too hot with a shirt on sometimes. Then again that was with Alice wrapped around him tightly. He finally couldn't resist the urge any longer. He turned and looked at his wife. She looked worried even in sleep. Her brow was furrowed. Her arms reaching onto his side of the bed unconsciously and finding in empty. A frown was across her beautiful face.

He walked over softly and knelt down by the bed. "I love you." he murmured so quietly it was almost inaudible. "So much!" he then kissed her forehead. She frowned harder for a moment then relaxed, murmured something back in her sleep. He couldn't be sure what it was. It was completely intelligible. He smoothed the hair on her head and then left the room.

He then walked into his daughters room. She was curled up in a ball in the middle of the bed. Tears had made tracks down her cheeks. Had she cried over the fat that she thought he had left and wasn't coming back? God he was a bastard! "I'm sorry sweetie. Dads home now." he said quietly.

Her blanket was bunched up at her feet. His Lexi was a restless sleeper. He pulled it up and tucked it over her chin. Her green eyes opened, they were unfocused.

"Daddy?" she asked. God she hadn't called him that in years!

"I'm here baby."

"Your not leaving me are you?"

"I'll try not to baby. I promise."

He kissed her head. "Sleep tight sunshine. I'll be here in the morning!" Lexi was soon asleep again. He left her room and closed the door. Debated on whether or not to check on Ethan. He knocked softly and walked into the room when he didn't get a reply. The boy was asleep sprawled on his stomach, mouth open slightly. The blanket covered his waist but not his chest. Danny walked in and covered him completely. Ethan when really tired was a heavy sleeper. He tended just to crash. He guessed he didn't get much sleep last night. "Night son." he again said so softly. He closed the door.

He then went to the room that was barely used. The spare room. He grabbed the spare quilt and pillow from the cupboard and put them on the bed. He wasn't messing on with bedding at this time of the night, or morning as the case may be.

He lay down in the bed awake. His life was going to hell! His marriage was circling the drain, both his kids hated him. He'd never felt so depressed as he did at this moment. Eventually he fell into a fitful dreamless sleep. A few hours later he was sure he'd dreamt that an angel had came to see him. Her musical voice filled his head, his heart his soul. She said she loved him and wanted their marriage to work so badly. She loved him so much to even consider life without him in it. He awoke hours later not feeling at all rested. Too bad the angel had only been a dream!

**A/N all danny here. bless him he's really having a rough time of it isn't he. poor thing. hopefully i might have another chapter up later tonight hpe u enjoyed and review pleaseeeee :) x**


	10. Tears and Devastation

**A/N sorry a time jump is necessary, this story is taking too long to get to the leopards den bit so I condensed it lol enjoy :)**

_**4 Weeks Later**_

Danny was depressed. He was sat in his kitchen so depressed it was unreal. So depressed he wanted just to bury himself into a deep dark hole and never surface! God he was 4 weeks from his 10th wedding anniversary. He and his wife hadn't spoke one word in 1 week 2 hours and 6 minutes. God how sad was he, he remembered the last time she spoke to him. Down to the minute! She'd asked him for the time, not that that real counted as talking to him but he'd take anything he could get! He was really so depressed that he couldn't muster up any enthusiasm for anything. He was simply going through the motions at the moment. He had tried so hard in the last 4 weeks to mend his relationship with Ethan. He refused to even look at Danny never mind take notice of anything he said. His daughter hated him too. Looked at him suspiciously like she expected him to up and leave at any given time. He had a big problem, Ethan wanted him to go and Lexi wanted him to stay and Alice…. He missed her so much. So much he felt like his heart was getting ripped from his chest every second they were apart. He had no idea whether she still loved him! It seemed everytime they spoke the kids would end up arguing and they'd end up butting heads. They couldn't seem to agree on anything. Like they were deliberately picking opposite sides. This was the first time this had happened in 10 years and he had no idea what to do to make it right!

What else worried him was that she was acting weird lately. Really weird. Secretive. When he'd asked her she'd became evasive and even angry telling him to stay out of her life. Danny knew what this was about though. He'd had a feeling but last night confirmed it. She wanted a divorce! He'd went in their room last night for some tablets from his bed side cabinet and he'd heard her mumble divorce. He'd dismissed it. He'd misheard her surely. Alice wouldn't divorce him they loved each other. The second time she said it there'd been no margin for error. It had been so loud and clear. He'd nearly fell to the floor in a spiral of despair. Nearly fell to his knees and wailed. Instead he just left the room in shock. Not even collecting the thing he went in for. God this is SERIOUS Danny. He had genuinely thought they weren't ever going to come to this. It scared him that he wasn't enough for her. He'd loved her for over half of his life. He didn't think he was physically capable of loving anyone else but her! He didn't want to love anyone else. She'd always been enough for him. No one else suited him, fit him the way she did. He'd vowed to love her until death do them part and even beyond! Not till she got sick of him and decided to divorce him. He couldn't live without his family. Couldn't survive without them. But if this is what made Alice happy then who was he to stop her?

Making her happy had been what had prompted his 10th anniversary surprise to her. He'd been planning this for over a year. Had roped in her mother as help. Bought everything in advance so she didn't suspect. Paid for everything in increments so she didn't notice large amounts leaving their joint account. Used only his mobile and not the house phone. He'd spoke at length with Anders DuPlessis about what he wanted. He'd assured him that they were than capable of completing this for him. He was more than happy to let them renew their wedding vows on his reserve. He'd rang recently, told him everything, the suits dresses all the wedding gear had all arrived safe and sound. The minister had agreed to complete the ceremony too. He supposed he'd better telephone him and tell him the whole deal is off now. He was left with 4 tickets to Africa. James and Shauna could have them if they wanted. Or better still Alice could take the kids down for a holiday away from him the way they wanted. They could do that while the divorce was going through.

God that word DIVORCE, why did it sound so ominous. So evil? Then again it wasn't exactly hearts and flowers was it? If divorce was what Alice wanted then he'd give it to her. The last thing he could give to her. Her freedom. He do it coz he loved her, loved her enough that if she was happier without him then that's what he'd do. The train of thoughts depressed him worse than ever. He walked into the cupboard and got the tequila out. He shouldn't drink this coz it sent him loopy and he didn't know what he was doing when he was on it. The last time he'd drank it had been when he'd been spiked on the night before his wedding and he still didn't remember what happened! Anyway he grabbed the bottle noticed it was ¾'s full. Aw great, hopefully he'd drink this and pass out! He walked up to his bedroom and closed the door. He wasn't usually a big drinker but today warranted it. It wasn't every day your marriage came to an end. It wasn't everyday you lost the love of your life

(X) 3 Hours Later

Alice was sat in her kitchen. Danny was being weird. Not his usual Danny self. He was quiet and kept himself to himself. Didn't enjoy the banter between the kids anymore. Couldn't seem to muster up a smile for anyone. She was seriously worried about hi state of mind! He seemed content to stay in the spare room. He'd left their room over 4 weeks ago and didn't make no move to come back. Didn't make no move to put his arms around her. Press his lips to hers like they had so many times in the past. This gulf between them was so wide, neither knew how to approach it. It was like it was a deep and never ending ocean and they were both paddling, too scared to swim from the edge in case they got half way then drowned. Danny didn't talk to her, just stared intently at times. She felt his mental distance. Those intense silences it was like he was trying to say goodbye to her. It was like she'd lost her best friend, actually she had lost her best friend and she would do anything to get him back.

Her eyes filled. She knew what was going on. He'd been so secretive the last week. She'd seen him with envelopes which he quickly hid when she came into a room. He'd had divorce papers drawn up and was awaiting for the right moment. She wanted her husband back. The man she fell head over heels for. The happy joyful Danny with the quick grin which made her knees weak. The man who always seemed to know exactly what to say to make things right. She didn't know this Danny. This sad small Danny. He looked like he was about to shatter. Not that she could blame him if he did. Ethan didn't talk to him, didn't even acknowledge his existence. Even at their worst Ethan had referred to him as Trevanion. Not all he got was hard cold indifference. And Lexi, who had always been a daddies girl wouldn't talk to him either. Lexi who always had a smile and hug for her dad also treated him like he'd invisible. Poor Danny, he's literally falling apart and she had no idea how to help him! Not that he'd have accepted it. Secret phone calls and letters. She'd heard him say that everything had arrived when he was talking on his mobile. Was he talking about a flat? Had he sorted it so that he had a flat ready to move into now that he was leaving? And of course the letters, the divorce papers. Drop them on her then leave. Abandoning his family.

She'd had a nightmare about him leaving last night. He said he didn't love her anymore. Lexi was the demon child he wished he'd never laid eyes on and Ethan was some evil offspring from a murderer. He couldn't stand the both of them and most of all he couldn't stand her either. That she'd made him bring up 2 kids who weren't his. He demanded a divorce. She crumpled to her knees when she heard the word divorce. At first she hadn't been able to bring herself to say the word. The that was the only word that registered. She just muttered it over and over in her dream getting louder and louder as she did so. She finally came awake bawling her eyes out. It was the worst dream she'd ever had. She had felt her heart literally be ripped from her chest. Felt a bone deep chill enter her body as Danny had said those words to her.

She heard a thud upstairs. Then someone walk across the floor. She heard a door open and then slam. Heard someone stumble across the landing. Alice walked to the bottom of the stairs. She saw Danny starting to come down the stairs. She could tell by his demeanour that he was blind drunk. Completely gone. He had his coat on and his shoes. He could barely walk. He held the banister tightly and leaned on it heavily as he walked down the stairs.

"Danny?" Alice asked worriedly.

He ignored her. Walked passed her to the keys rack.

"Car keys." he asked. Seriously slurred. He obviously wasn't thinking straight. Alice looked at him, she didn't believe what he was saying.

"No Danny. No way!"

His eyes narrowed. "Give me the keys!"

"I said no Danny. Innocent people could get hurt!"

"That's nothing to do with you!" he spat.

"It is. Your not taking the car. If you wanna go anywhere you walk!"

"GIVE ME THE KEYS!" he yelled.

"FOR GOD'S SAKE NO!" Alice yelled back.

"Fine then!" he said. Pushed passed her. Walked into the garage grabbed a hammer. Alice had followed him.

"What you…"

He swung the hammer and smashed the drivers side window. He reached inside and opened the door.

"The good thing about learning to build an engine is you learn how to hot wire a car!" he sat inside. Alice stopped him closing the door by standing in front of it. "No Danny please. I don't want anything to happen to you. I don't want you to get hurt." Alice pleaded. She pulled his arm. "Danny Please!" tears spilled.

"You don't care about me. If I die I'll be doing you all a favour!"

Lexi came in. she saw her mother crying. Saw her father in a state. She watched her mother desperately pulling at her fathers arm. Her head bobbed between them.

"What's going on?"

"Lexi go to your room!" Alice said.

Lexi watched her father pulling wires out of the dash board.

"Dad what you doing?"

"LEXI GO!" Alice yelled.

Lexi ran upstairs. "Ethan dad is doing something stupid."

"So let him." Ethan relied bored. Went back to writing his raps sat on his bed.

"Please he's off his face in the car. He's gonna kill himself." Lexi's voice cracked. "Please Ethan he's my dad!"

Ethan looked at her ashen face. He rose from the bed.

(-)

"Danny get out of the car and we'll talk about this yeah" Alice said and tugged his arm hard. He almost fell out of the car.

He yanked his arm in return but she refused to let go.

"Let go of me Alice. As soon as this car is moving I'm gone!"

"No your not Danny!" her tears fell freely.

Ethan appeared at the doorway with Lexi. She saw her mother sobbing and burst into tears herself.

He walked over and put his hand on Alice's arm. "Take Lexi inside I'll get him out of the car. Make sure you lock the back door. He won't hit you but I can't say for sure he won't go for me!" Not with what he might have to resort to saying to get him out of the garage. He'll do it though, for Lexi. It killed him seeing her face like that. She was so terrified.

"No Ethan!" Alice said still yanking Danny's his arm.

"Alice do it please. I can get him out of the car and into the yard but not with you here nigh on hysterical. When he's out you lock the garage door. Please look at Lexi she needs you more than Danny!"

Alice looked at her daughter. She was shaking with the force of her tears. She let go of Danny and took her daughter in her arms hugged her tight. "I'll go inside till she calms down but I'm not locking the door." she then took Lexi inside.

Ethan stood by the car. He swallowed hard.

"Wrong wires idiot." Ethan said.

Danny ignored him. Just kept trying wires.

"You wanna know what ones? I can tell you. Makes no difference to me if you die!"

Danny still ignored him.

"Lexi and Alice in bits. Mourning you. Come to think of it they'd probably be better off without you!"

Danny continued ignoring him.

Ok time for the big guns. He took a deep calming breath. God Danny was so gonna kill him for this!

"Suppose if you die that leaves me as man as the house." he exhaled a breath. "Maybe I'll let Derek stay in the spare room when your gone."

Danny froze, his fists clenched. His face turned and he looked at Ethan. His eyes glittered with anger.

Ethan started slowing backing from the garage.

"Did you just threaten my daughter?" Danny asked in a deadly voice. He climbed from the car. Although he was obviously drunk and wobbled slightly, his stride was tight with purpose.

That's it Danny Ethan thought softly. Get out of the car and into the yard so Alice can lock the garage.

Right time to finish this. Danny was gonna tear him apart I hope I go to heaven! Ethan thought.

"No not me, just Derek's a find you know. Lexi might grow to like him." he gulped.

He backed away faster. Danny's stride matched his walking towards him. A murderous expression on his face. He saw Alice at the kitchen window. He threw her a quick thumbs up. She hadn't noticed Danny walking towards him. Danny was clearly irate.

"I warned you what would happen if you helped him Ethan!"

Ethan's back hit a wall. He stood his ground, although his breathing definitely quickened.

"You gonna hit me? Do it! Bigger men have hit me than you!"

Danny stood in front of him. Anger rolled of him in waves. "I treat you like a son and you threaten my baby?"

"You don't care about her. Hotwiring cars while she and Alice are in tears begging you to stop. Putting innocent people at risk driving drunk!"

Danny grabbed his collar. "You know nothing!"

Ethan gasped. Danny had moved so quickly. He'd never seen that look on Danny's face before!

Danny saw Ethan's fear in his face. He saw his angry face reflected in his eyes. He let go of Ethan shocked.

"Oh God what am I doing? This isn't me!" he looked confused.

He spun quickly not realising Alice was behind him. He felt his body collide with hers and heard her land on the floor with a thud.

He looked at Alice on the floor. Then at Ethan, his face still held a slight residue of fear. Then his daughter staring at him. Then he looked at his hands. Imagined them smeared with his families blood.

"God I'm a monster!" he said. Pain obvious in his tone.

"I'm sorry." he said looking at the one by one. "I'm so sorry!" he ran from the back garden. Lexi ran after him. "Dad!" they heard her yell before she disappeared from sight.

Ethan and Alice looked at each other.

A minute after Danny and Lexi left they heard the screech of tyres, a thump and the scuffle of a body rolling across the road.

"Someone help me!" a unknown mans voice yelled.

Alice's face was one of complete horror. Ethan's face mirrored hers almost immediately.

"God NO!" she yelled and towards the exit Danny and Lexi had left through. Ethan followed her.

Who had the car hit? Danny Lexi or both?

**A/N ok who has the car hit?**

**please review and leave me your thoughts x thanx for reading x**


	11. Hurt in Many Ways

"Dad!" Lexi yelled running after her father. He ignored her.

"Where you going dad? STOP!"

Danny had ran across the road. Lexi stopped.

"Please don't go dad I need you!"

Danny turned to face his little girl. He heard a engine and saw a car speeding towards his child.

Christ how fast was this nutter going he was going to hit her! Hit his baby girl!

Lexi turned and looked at the car. She froze she physically couldn't move. She just stared. Her face held a resigned look. Like this was going to happen, there was nothing she could do to stop it and she'd just let it. Like hell! danny thought

He moved without thinking. "Love you sunshine." he told her and then put his hands on her chest and pushed her hard. She felt like she flew through the air and landed on the pavement with a thud. She saw the car plough into her father. She wanted to look away but couldn't. She saw his head hit off the bonnet and watched him roll and hit the windshield. Then the car braked and her father rolled off the hood and he skidded across the road. He lay unbelievably still. Lexi sat there stunned. Unable to take all this in. She was gonna wake up in a minute, any minute now!

(X)

Alice ran to the front of her house. It took literally a minute although in her head it felt like hours. Each step seemed to take an eternity. A white car was parked diagonally across the road. The bonnet was streaked with blood. Alice felt ill at the sight of it. She saw her daughter sat on the path in front of her house. She was shaking her head.

"Lexi?"

She turned around and saw her mum. Alice ran to her and looked at her face and body. She looked fine.

"Lexi where's your father?"

Lexi was looking at her like she didn't understand what she was saying. Like she was in shock or something. Then she looked at something down the road, Alice looked in the direction of her daughters gaze.

She saw Danny. He lay a few feet from the car. He was unconscious on the road face down his arms splayed above his head. His face was all grazed.

"Danny!" she whispered.

"Daddy." Lexi said still a little shocked.

Ethan appeared beside Lexi.

"Christ!" he whispered. He looked so broken lying there

Alice looked at Danny and realised he almost looked like he was asleep or dea… she wasn't finishing that thought she had to help him.

"Daddy!" Lexi suddenly screamed. She started trying to get up to run to him.

"Ethan take her inside. Phone my mum ask her to come down if she can please. Phone an ambulance too!

Ethan grabbed Lexi and dragged her to the house. She fought and kicked. "Let me go I need to help him!"

Alice ran over to Danny. Her mind ran through procedures. But they were for animals. He already had a huge bump on his forehead. She placed her hand over his mouth. She didn't feel any breath coming from his mouth.

"Dammit no!"

She checked his pulse and couldn't find one.

"Dammit I said no Danny!"

"Look Mr I need you to help me turn him." Alice yelled at the driver. "I've got his head. You turn his body when I say so, make sure we go at the same time. We risk spinal damage if we jar him! 1,2,3 Move!"

They turned him and Alice searched for his pulse. Still nothing.

"How hard you hit him?" she asked . As she checked.

"Dunno?"

"Well how fast were you going then?" she asked getting angry, he was being evasive.

Alice started to do cardiac massage. She felt strangely calm at the moment considering her husband lay essentially dead on the road.

"Well?" she asked.

"50."

"50? Are you out of your mind. This is at best a 25 zone! God kids live here!" she shouted still working on Danny.

"Look they came from nowhere, I swerved but I was gonna hit the kid. I'm so sorry!"

"C'mon Danny!"

Nothing.

"Dammit Danny no!" she screamed. "I swear if he dies I'll kill you!" she warned.

The paramedics arrived suddenly and they moved her out of the way. As they worked on him in front of her she felt the calm desert her. She heard them talking but heard no words. She only heard her own heart beat pounding in her ears. She wished she could share it with him. She suddenly started to shake uncontrollably. A second ambulance arrived. She saw Ethan bring Lexi outside. Danny was loaded onto a stretcher.

"Where you taking him?"

"Bristol general!"

She watched the ambulance carry the man she loved away. Then walked over to the ambulance that held Lexi. She ached to go with him but she had 2 kids she couldn't leave.

"Clean bill of health Miss." the paramedic told Lexi.

Than God!" Alice said and took Lexi back into the house. The police had arrived and were interviewing the driver.

Lexi was crying on the sofa. She saw her mother and sobbed harder. "Is my dad dead?" Lexi wailed.

Alice went over and hugged her child. Ethan's eyes were moist and she motioned for him to come to her too. She hugged them tight, trying desperately to stay strong for the both of them.

"Look both of you, your dad is strong. He'd never leave us ok."

"Mum we have to go to hospital. He's there alone!" Lexi told her.

"No Lex we can't go there!"

"Please mum I can't let him stay there alone!"

"Look baby I hate leaving your dad there too. I love him more than anything but I'm not having you sat in a waiting room!"

Especially for the type of news Alice was sure was coming. She couldn't get Danny breathing and the paramedics were ventilating him manually. Oh god why was this happening? She couldn't lose him. They been together for too long, life without him wasn't life it was existing. She'd had no life without him. She didn't remember a life without him. It started with him on that day in Bristol. All her memories he's there smiling in the background or stood by her side. She rubbed her face.

As soon as the kids had calmed down. Well calmer than they were. She checked her phone. Mrs Elliott had text her. She couldn't get away till later God she couldn't stand that. He could be dead by then and she'd never have the chance to tell him everything she wanted to say. Who was she kidding he could be dead by now! She rang the hospital.

"Hello."

"Hello my husband Danny Trevanion was brought in after being hit by a car. I was wondering if you had any news on him?"

"Sorry Miss I can't give out any information over the phone. I am only a nurse. The doctor will telephone you later."

"Look can't you tell me anything?"

"Sorry I can't."

"Look I have 2 kids at home who are worried about their dad. I can't get way or I'd be there. Please I'm begging you can you even tell me if he's alive?"

The nurse took pity on her and tapped a keyboard. "Look Mrs Trevanion if you are hit by a car hypothetically you could be in surgery for a collapsed lung. You may also have a concussion and be in a coma. Maybe even have a few cracked ribs. Of course this is all hypothetical of course!"

"Oh yes of course. Thank you so much."

"Your welcome." the nurse said and put the phone down.

"Collapsed lung? Coma? Oh god oh god oh god oh god. That phrase just echoed through her brain. He was gonna die. She collapsed on the sofa. C'mon Danny fight. We need you and love you. Don't even dare give up on us!"

(X)

The kids were in the living room fidgeting . Alice was in the kitchen cleaning. Lexi was nervous. She knew her mother. When something was bugging her she wiped. When she was angry she scrubbed. She never seen her like this before. She was attacking the counters and cooker. All the surfaces. Like they had done something to personally offend her. Her arm was moving as fast as lightning. Her face intense. Her mother had made them something to eat, it at on the table untouched. The police had been in and took her statement. God reliving it was just as bad as watching it. How'd she ran after her father, scared he was going to do something stupid. How she said she needed him to please not leave her. He'd been across the road at this point. She had stopped in the middle of the road shouting for him. How his head had turned at a noise, his face had turned from shock to complete fear. She had then turned and saw this car flying at her really really fast. She'd knew she had no way of getting out of the way in time so she sorta resigned herself to her fate. She'd been frozen to the spot. She didn't know how her dad had did it but he'd reached her in time but and he'd pushed her out of the way. So hard that it had knocked the wind out of her for a second. Then the car had hit her father. She'd closed her eyes at the memory, trying to escape from it. She couldn't see his face, that she was sorta glad of. To see his body just fold into itself like that was bad enough! The bumper had hit his stomach and he'd immediately bent double. His head hit the car and she'd seen blood just splatter everywhere. Her eyes had filled as she spoke about this bit. The tears started falling as she'd carried on. She'd seen him roll onto the bonnet and hit the windshield. He was moving really fast, the car had hit him really fast! The driver of course was braking at this point trying desperately to stop. As the car did eventually stop her father had rolled off the hood, his head bouncing off the floor as it connected and then he rolled along concrete till he came to complete still. Then her mother had came outside and everything suddenly went wild. Shouting and screaming her mother running to her father while she was dragged in the house.

The officer had went to ask more questions but Alice had stopped him.

"No way! She is upset enough. Come back tomorrow!"

"But Mrs Trevanion we need her to talk when it's still fresh in her mind."

"Do you think she'd gonna forget what she seen today? Get out of here before you upset her more."

As the officer had been leaving Lexi had asked if they knew how her father was. Did they know if he was dead. They'd apologised and said they hadn't heard anything yet. Lexi was sorta relieved in a way, they'd know by now if it was manslaughter wouldn't they? After that her mother had waited till she was fine again and the into the kitchen to attack the counters.

She walked into the living room.

"C'mon kids it's 10 0clock. I want you to go to bed please."

"No mum I'm waiting for news on dad." Lexi said.

"Come in my room for a while Lexi. We'll listen to music huh?" Ethan suggested. Alice wasn't coping to well here. He could tell.

"No Ethan!"

"Lex!" he then cocked his head so slightly towards Alice and widened his eyes. Lexi looked at her mother. She looked terrible. Her eyes red rimmed from tears she wouldn't allow to fall. She looked on the verge of a breakdown but she'd never do it in front of them.

"Alice will tell us if they phone." Ethan said softly.

Alice nodded at them not trusting her voice.

Lexi stood up and followed Ethan out of the room. Alice went back into her kitchen. The tears she'd fought so hard to contain spilled. The ache in her chest expanded to mammoth proportions. She dropped her cloth in the sink. She fumbled on the counter for the radio that was there. Switched it on even through her vision was blurred with tears. She turned the volume right up. Alice recognise the song playing it broke her heart. R Kelly I'm your angel.

**I'll be your cloud up in the sky**

**I'll be your shoulder when you cry**

**I hear your voices when you call me**

**I am your angel**

**And all is hope gone I'm here**

**No matter how far you are I'm near**

**It makes no difference where you are**

**I am your angel **

Right that was the last straw. That song right there was far to close for comfort! Alice was soon bent over the sink sobbing. She hoped her kids didn't come and see that coz she didn't have it within her to stop. The tears were never ending. Shudders wracked her through her body. She cried for the longest time. She cried so hard her head ached. She thought they were about to subside when she felt soft hands on her shoulders. The hands lifted her up and turned her. She was looking at her mothers sympathetic face. She broke down again. Just collapsed in her arms and cried even harder than before.

Her mother wrapped her in her arms and stroked her hair as she cried.

"He might d…d...die!" she sobbed against her mums chest.

"H…H…How do I l…l…live without him?"

"Alice he's going to fine!" Mrs Elliott said softly trying to calm her.

"He wasn't b…b…breathing he was being ventilated. I couldn't get him breathing!" she said almost hysterical.

Alice felt her mothers hand motion behind her back. She didn't notice her daughters face. Her heartbroken face at the door. She backed away from the kitchen and ran to her room.

"It's ok Alice." Those words were universal to all mothers all over the world. They were said to every child at one time or another. Even if it wasn't ok and may never be that way again!

**A/N more about how tha family is coping in the next chapter too. i think that one will b fairly short. **

**hpe u enjoyed and review x**


	12. A Family Devastated

Lexi walked downstairs. She wanted to know who was here. She had a feeling it was nana. Ethan had phoned her as well as keeping her restrained in the house. Wow a man who can multitask. She heard her nana murmuring to her mother softly. She walked towards the kitchen and saw her mother wrapped in Mrs Elliott's arms. Sobbing harder than Lexi had ever seen in her life. She stopped behind the door and listened.

"…d…die!" she heard muffled

Lexi felt her self go into shock. Oh god had her dad died? She then heard her mother say some more stuff but it was intelligible until she heard not b…b…breathing.

After hearing that she walked around the corner and looked at her mum with shock in her eyes. She finally got a clear look at her mum. God she looked tiny. About 15 again. Crying like there was no tomorrow. Those tears tore at her heart and scared her more than anything else in the world. There was only one reason she would cry like this and that if her father was gone. Her mind just blanked everything. Oh god she had killed her father! She saw Mrs Elliott motion her away with her hand. She backed away slowly. There was no way hr mother would want to see her. She'd killed the love of her life. God if she was her mother she'd hate her. She'd best just leave. Leave and never come back. Then her mother would never have to see her again! She ran in her room and slammed the door then grabbed a bag. She was stuffing stuff inside when Ethan came in her room.

"Lex what the hell are you doing?"

"I'm going Ethan I can't stay not after what I've did to mum!" her tears fell fast.

"Lexi stop calm down tell me what's happening."

"I've got to go!" she kept muttering.

Ethan ran over and took her bag.

"Give me the bag Eth!"

"Lexi tell me what's happened!"

"Ethan, I've killed my dad!" she said softly and fell to her knees. Sobbing hard.

He dropped her bag and gathered her in his arms. pulled her into his room, sat her on the bed. The radio was still playing.

"Lex tell me what you heard."

"I heard my mum, she said he died. He died thinking I hated him!"

"Oh NO!" Ethan whispered. Danny couldn't be dead. Danny didn't die. This hurt far more than he thought it would!

"Lex are you sure?" he asked voice wobbling. "Don't tell me this if your not!"

"I heard my mum say die. Then something about him not breathing. Oh Eth he should have just let the car hit me!" Lexi wailed and cried harder.

Ethan was sitting trying so hard to control his breathing to keep the tears at bay. The tears fall without his consent. Lexi pulled him towards her and wrapped her arms around him. They fell like an avalanche down his face. Hot wet and heavy. His tears fell onto her hair. Soon both kids were crying uncontrollably in Ethan's room. They stayed this way for a while.

Lexi pulled away and looked at his moist eyes. "Ethan I didn't tell him I loved him before he died. He told me like a millisecond before he knocked me out of the away. He said love you sunshine and the pushed."

Ethan stayed quiet. He didn't trust his voice. He'd never know that kind of fatherly love.

"He used to call me his sunshine when I was little. He said no matter what the weather all he to do was look at me and he had homemade sunshine right there in front of him. Even on the darkest gloomiest days! That's why I have to go Ethan. How is my mum supposed to live with me knowing I killed my dad?"

"Lex this isn't your fault." his voice shook with emotion. "Your father did what he felt necessary to protect you! How do you think he would have felt if the car had hit you? He would never have forgave himself. That's what dad's do. They protect their kids no matter what the personal cost to them. Plus you should lay the blame where it belongs. With me!"

"What?"

"If I hadn't pushed him he'd still be in the garage hot wiring the car. I goaded him. Used you to get him out of there. If I hadn't said what I did chances are he would still be there trying to get the car going!"

"Or he'd have got the car moving then crashed and some other poor family would be going through what we are going through! They'd believe my dad was bad person. No Ethan you did the right thing!"

Ethan and Lexi sat in the room both absorbed in their own personal guilt. Haunting lyrics started playing. Lexi wanted to scream when she heard them.

**I will never let you fall**

**I'll stand up with you forever **

**I'll be there for you through it all **

**Even if saving you sends me to heaven **

Ethan jumped up and turned the song off, not before Lexi had started crying again. He couldn't hold it either. Those lyrics killed him. Guardian angel the song was called. He wrapped her in his arms and held her as she cried.

(X)

Alice's tears finally dried. Her mum sat her down at the kitchen table.

"Sit down Alice before you fall down."

Alice laid her head on her hand.

"I'm sorry for falling apart on you like that. This month has been so hard. I've had terrible mood swings. Crying then angry the happy. I'm so tired and not sleeping. Me and Danny weren't having the best time anyway and now I could lose him and he won't even know how much I l…l…love him."

Alice took deep breaths. She couldn't cry anymore!

"Don't apologise for needing me Alice. I'm here whenever you need me. Tell me what happened." she handed Alice a damp piece of kitchen roll. The cold felt good against her eyes.

"Shall I start at the beginning?"

Alice's eyes turned cloudy with pain as she visited the past. Remembered the last month.

"Do you remember when I phoned and told you my family was falling apart? Well it got worse. Ethan and Lexi refused to speak to each other. The only thing they could agree on was the fact that neither one of them liked Danny. It was especially hard for him with Lexi. She'd always loved him and he doted on her. It was my fault I mentioned that he said he was going to leave in front of her. She broke her heart at first but then distanced herself from him.

Anyway he was sleeping in the spare room, his kids hated him and he was slipping into a deeper darker depression as the days went back. Mum he was even recognisable as the old Danny anymore. The worst thing of all id he's going to divorce me, secret letters and phone calls. I know it! I know coz we hadn't said 2 words together in a week. He just quit trying and so did I!

He'd been in the kitchen and tried to talk to Lexi and she looked at him with such a dark look on her face then stormed away mum I swear I heard his heart break clear across the room. I saw him bite his lip and his head drop then he picked himself up. I yearned to go to him. To comfort him I actually walked over and he stopped me with a look. He then said leave me alone in the coldest tone I'd ever heard. I walked out of the room to leave him alone. When I returned the kitchen was empty. A couple of hours later I heard stomping around upstairs. He started walking down the stairs barely. He was blind drunk. I've never seen him that way ever. Even when his mum died he stayed on the coke. He's not a heavy drinker! Never has been.

Anyway he was completely mortal gone. He wasn't my Danny and so I didn't know what to say to him. He started demanding the car keys. Long story short I refused so he smashed the car window and tried to hot wire it. I realise now I should have phoned the police but stuff like that doesn't register in the heat of the moment. All I could think was I had to keep him from driving away! But I couldn't get him stop and was hysterical. Ethan got him out of the car and into the garden don't know what he said or how he did it but when I went out in the garden he had Ethan held up against the wall. Ethan looked terrified. Mum if you'd seen the look on his face. He even scared me and I know he'd never touch me! But he stopped himself it was like he was so far gone in his rage but then looked at Ethan and it was gone. He tried to get away but I was behind him. He knocked him down. He looked at me with such horror like he'd done this inexcusable crime. Thing was it wasn't even his fault. He said he was a monster and ran off.

Lexi ran after him. After that I heard the squeal of tyres the a thud. I've never been so scared in my entire life. I sorta thought in my head for a second I'd go out and Lexi would be crying with a broken arm and he'd be sat there trying to calm her down with a broken leg. But them the panic set in and I saw them both dead in my head. Them lying under the car. I prayed for them to be minorly hurt! I got out and Lexi was on the path dazed and in shock and Danny he was on the floor, broken. His face all grazed and bleeding from a cut on his head. Turns out he'd been across the road and she had stopped in the middle of the road. A man speeding in a car came hurtling towards her and Danny pushed her out of the way and got hit himself. He saved our daughter. If I kept her in the back yard then he wouldn't be dying right now!"

Alice covered her face with her hands and breathed heavily. The story had just spilled out of her.

"Alice lay the blame where it belongs. On the driver. He was driving too fast!"

The shrill ringing of the telephone jarred Alice from her dark thoughts. Her thoughts of planning Danny's funeral. Alice ran and picked up the phone.

"Hello!" she said breathlessly.

"Is this Mrs Trevanion?"

Alice was scared stiff. God they were ringing to tell her he's dead.

"Yes!" she said shakily.

"Your husband Daniel is out of surgery."

Alice held her breath.

"We were able to repair the damage. He had significant damage to on of his lungs, it collapsed but we stabilised him. We had to induce coma as he had a bad reaction to one of the drugs we used. He went into petit mal seizure! He also has mild swelling on the brain. We are hopeful he'll wake up soon."

Alice exhaled. He was alive.

"Can I come up and see him?"

"That will be fine Mrs Trevanion."

"Thank you so much doctor. You have no idea how much this means to me!"

Alice then out the phone down.

Danny's alive! She couldn't get her breath she was panting fast. Her face getting red. She couldn't breathe!

Mrs Elliott ran in and grabbed her. Sat on the sofa with her. Put Alice's hand on her chest. Alice concentrate on my breath breathe with me. Deep breath in. And out. Alice's hand rose with every breath her mum took. And fell with every exhale. It took a few tries but it worked. Alice was soon breathing normally.

"I was just about to shove your head between your legs. That crap doesn't work though! Your lungs all cramped like that!" Mrs Elliott shook her head.

"I'd better go and speak to Lex and Ethan. He's fine mum. Well in a coma but they think he'll pull through!"

"If you wanna go to hospital I can talk to them." her mum said softly.

"No I'll do it. They're my responsibility. I'm the mum. Mum. I do need to ask you one thing."

"You know I will." Mrs Elliott said cutting off her request.

"Thanks mum. You're the best."

She smiled and looked exactly like Shauna. "I know."

"There's clean linen in the spare room for the bed."

"Alice go talk to your kids then see your husband. That's an order!" she said strictly.

Alice smiled a small smile. She then walked upstairs softly.

(-)

Alice was upstairs and peeked in her daughters room. God it looked like tornado had ripped through here, clothes all over the place. A bag open its contents spilled. She ignored the mess. She wasn't surprised to find the room empty. She walked to Ethan's room. She knocked on the door and let herself in. Lexi looked at her and her expression turned scared.

"NO!" she screamed. And covered her ears. "If you don't tell me then it's not true!" she yelled.

"Lexi baby what's wrong?" Alice asked.

Her face crumpled and she jumped into her mothers arms.

"Mum I'm so sorry I didn't mean to hurt daddy. I never wanted to hurt him. Now he's dead coz of me!" she sobbed.

"Baby what are you talking about? Your father is…" she was reluctant to say fine. "He's out of surgery now. They're optimistic. Awww honey why did you think he was dead?"

She stroked her daughters golden hair.

"I heard you and nana. You said die and then not breathing!"

"Aw Lex he's gonna get better. Mum was just worried about how she was gonna be without him. You know how I tend to think the worst. I'm so sorry for scaring you! I'm going to hospital. I'll give him a kiss from you and tell him you love him!"

"Can I come please mum!" the plea in her voice almost broke Alice's heart.

"Maybe tomorrow sweetie. You need to get some sleep. You ok Ethan?"

He nodded stiffly.

Alice kissed her daughters head. Then walked over and hugged and kissed Ethan.

"Try and get some sleep kids. I'll be in touch if anything happens."

"Ok Alice."

"Ok mum." the kids chorused.

Alice blew them a kiss then left the room.

"Go shower Lex. You'll feel better!"

Lexi looked at him crossed the room and hugged him hard. "Thank you so much Ethan!"

He frowned. "For what?"

"Being here for me. I couldn't bear it if I'd been alone. I love you you know." she kissed his cheek.

He smiled at her. "Hey I'm your best friend. It's what I'm here for. And just so you know I love you too!" he then ruffled her hair.

Lexi left the room and jumped in the shower. Washed off the stench of devastation and tears.

Ethan showered after her. He passed Alice's room and saw Lexi lain on her dads side of the bed cuddling one of his t-shirts.

"Eth Don't leave me." she murmured. "Come lie beside me please."

He walked over and sat on the bed. She pulled him down beside her. "Thanks." she kissed the skin over his heart. God she was making it so hard not to fall for her he thought.

She pulled the blanket over them. She turned over and pulled his arms around her waist. Her back to his chest. "You can leave as soon as I'm asleep." Ethan's hold tightened involuntarily.

He heard her soft slow breathing minutes later. His own eyes felt heavy. 5 minutes wouldn't hurt plus it's her parents bed. Nothing was going to happen that would just be wrong! He felt his eyes close on their own.

Mrs Elliott found them a few hours later. She considered moving them but then decided that nothing wrong was going on. They were just giving and receiving comfort and who was she to disturb that?

**A/N okie dokie. danny has had the surgery and has come through whoopee right? *insert evil smile* maybe then again maybe not. :)**

**review please an of course keep readin**


	13. Feelings and Restraints

**A/N I don't usually do this but I have to say that I heard this song and it so reminded me of this chapter so I sorta attached it. The song is by Nick Lachey and the song name is Carry On**

**I think it sorta says what Alice is trying to say.**

_**Crying, feeling like a part of you is dyin,**_

_**Reachin for the strength to keep you tryin**_

_**Still you're cryin**_

_**You're livin in the cold.**_

Alice rang a taxi and soon arrived at Bristol General. Later than she wanted but she better late than never she thought. At least she was here to visit. Danny could have died! She'd be forever grateful that he lived. Whatever higher power was up there she owed them big style! She spoke to the receptionist who told her where he was. She wasn't able to go and see him straight away though. The doctors were in there taking him off the ventilator. It had been an un needed precaution in case his lung collapsed again or if he stopped breathing suddenly. Nothing happened. Alice's eyes closed as she thought of losing him. The pain that streaked through her body was nearly crippling! This must of what he must have went through when he saw the car speeding towards Lexi, times a million! A parents worst nightmare, it wouldn't have even occurred to him to let the car hit her. He's an amazing father and he proved that today! He'd do anything for his children. Anything. The nurse walked out and smiled at her as she left.

"Can I go in?"

The nurse nodded.

Alice opened the door and walked in.

"Oh Danny honey look at you!" she murmured.

She surveyed his body. Taking in his injuries. His head, God he looked terrible! He had a bandage across his forehead, obviously where his head had connected with the car and road. His face was all scratched and grazed from rolling across the floor. His nose looked all bent and broken, his eyes looked slightly bruised too. Or that could just be sleep deprivation she wasn't sure. His skin which was usually a nice healthy pinkie colour was not grey beneath all the gleaming white

His chest was all purple and green, a whole assortment of colours from bruising, obviously where his chest had impacted the car. His ribs were all taped up. His left arm lay away from his arm in a cast. He had various tubes and wires attached to him. He lay there so still and quiet she kept glancing at his monitor to make sure he was still breathing. She pulled the chair close to the bed.

"Hey darling." she said softly and touched his face. His skin was cool and clammy.

"This is all new to me. It's usually me who gets in trouble and your running to my rescue! You know you could wake up and give me a hand. Tell me how you coped with everything I put you through."

Silence.

"No. Well was just a little idea."

Alice suddenly had a vision of the car hitting him and blurted out what was on her mind. "Oh my God darling I'm so scared for you. I was so scared for both of you. Then I knew Lexi would be fine. You wouldn't let anything hurt her. Our sweetheart. You'd do the same for Ethan too. How will I ever thank you for saving our little girls life? I mean words don't even come close to how much it would have destroyed us to see her here. But it's also destroying me inside to see you lying there too.

I promise you though Danny, when you wake up we're gonna make it right. Both of us. We lost sight of ourselves for a while but I see you clearly now. See US clearly. We'll never apart. We couldn't survive without each other. We're essential to the others survival. We've loved each other too long to let anything come between us. We're never far from each others thoughts, it would be impossible for us to live apart. Eventually we'd end up back together coz we belong together. It's like fate. No-one and nothing could keep us apart. The feelings we evoke are too strong, too intense. I swear on everything I have I love you and I'm never leaving your side. Ever. I've been in love with you since I was 15 years old and I still love you now. I will love you for all of eternity. We're a partnership, us against the world. It's the way it's always been. And that's the way it will be until we die. But that isn't now Danny. We've got another 50-60 years left in us. And when we're old and grey with no teeth and our wrinkles have wrinkles I'll look at you and still see that 15 year old boy I fell for with the twinkling green eyes.

And I also know for sure that I will never forget you, my life truly began when I met you and my life will end with you. There's no before or after. I won't ever forget one moment of our life together. Every hug. Every touch. Everything. Even every single kiss. I remember the first one. We were sat at your dining table and you were teasing me, saying that you knew I thought you were cute. If only you had known the feelings you evoked inside me. I'm usually so sure and you basically blasted my confidence and self assurance into the stratosphere! We were just about to kiss when your mum said something and broke the moment. Of course I bolted like a scared rabbit. I mean I couldn't fall for you. You'd break my heart, but you came after me. Tried to convince me to come back. I was all nervous, never mind butterflies I felt like I had pterodactyls taking flight in my stomach. Then you leaned in and kissed me. It was so sweet and gentle. We both giggled and then you said I had nothing to be nervous about anymore. I swear you've had me since that moment! Anyway you lied saying I had nothing to be nervous about anymore. You still make me nervous. The way you look at me, that intense look. It gives me shivers. God Danny please wake up. I need you to know how much I love you!"

Again the room stayed silent.

"Doesn't matter I'm staying!" she said eventually and kissed his cold hand.

(X)

Danny was sat on a grassy hill. At the bottom of his hill lay a beach. He was dying to go down to the beach but he couldn't make his body move. So he sat on his nice safe hill and felt the hot sun warm his skin. Listened to the waves crash across the shore. He had no idea how he got here. He didn't care really it was nice here. He had no worries. No cares. Not that he remembered if he had any anyway. He just knew he felt light here. Weightless. He would gladly stay here forever!

He saw a woman walk across the sand. She had a baby in her arms. He watched them but didn't recognise them. They didn't notice him on his hill either. He sat and smiled softly as the mother doted on her child. She lay the baby on the sand and played. God life was so simple here, not having to take part. Just observing. Time quickly passed. Everyday that passed the baby became a little girl then a young woman. Everyday her mother would bring her and they would play on the same stretch of sand in front of him. He still didn't know what they looked like but the girl had gleaming black hair and a enchanting laugh. He'd heard it on the breeze once or twice. She reminded him of someone but he had no idea who. He just felt insanely protective of her! One day the child came to the beach by herself. It wasn't warm today. The sky was grey and overcast. The weather was almost sad. The looked lost and upset, her head hung sadly. Her arms wrapped around herself. She looked very young, maybe about 13. She sat on the sand in front of him and cried. He longed to go down and comfort her but he still couldn't move. It was better that way though. Safer! This crying carried on for another 3 days. The girl now a lot older about 16 didn't cry just sat looking alone. He heard a rumble of thunder and the waves started crashing angrily. Danny had a bad feeling. He still couldn't move though. He longed to scream at her to leave but couldn't find the words. He was doomed to be an observer. It didn't seem too good anymore watching! A young man walked towards the girl cockily. Danny felt sick. He walked over and smiled at her. The girl's face was terrified and tried to back away but he followed her wouldn't leave her alone. He spoke to her and she shook her head, the boy grabbed her arm roughly. She tried to pull her arm away but he kept grabbing at her. He started dragging her away until she was out of sight. She fought him but he was too big too large for her. Her fighting was futile. Danny strained against his invisible holdings. Dammit why couldn't he move, she need his help! Dammit this wasn't happening to her. The girl was out of sight but he could hearing her cries. Hear her screaming. He fought harder. The restraints seemed tighter than ever before!

**A/N can i just apologise for the rubbishness of this and the following chapter really its jst rubbish am nt at all happy wi it bt cnt seem to muster up any creativity 2 nite grrr! ****and i want to get this up coz am writin the bits at leopards den and they r good and am dying to upload them.**

**anyway my apologies! next part shud b up later 2nite. :)**


	14. Worst Fears

Alice was sat holding Danny's hand. She felt stupid! She'd sang to him. God SANG to him. All his favourite songs. Their first dance song at their wedding Her song for him, tailor made. She' d had to do something else. She'd talked so much she'd talked herself out. She rested her head on his bed. Her eyes fluttered. They had been about to close when Danny's hand twitched.

Alice shot up. "Danny?" she asked.

No response. More than his hand was twitching now. His arms legs head. All over was violently twitching. And the heartbeat on his monitor was racing. Alice hit the button for the nurse. She appeared but at this point Danny was thrashing about in the bed. He didn't make a sound just fought. Another nurse appeared at the door. Get a male nurse she shouted. Alice backed off and watched Danny fight something in his head. The male nurse appeared with the doctor. The doctor frowned.

"He is worse than we thought!" he muttered.

The male nurse tried to restrain Danny without hurting him Danny was making it incredibly hard. He was a lot stronger than he looked. The doctors had called in a colleague and they spoke in low hushed but clearly urgent tones. The harder Danny was restrained it seemed to be the more he fought so they finally decided to sedate him. The male held his arm tightly as they administered the needle into his IV. He thrashed more slowly than it began to subside.

"Is he ok?" Alice asked. Voice shaking from what she had just witnessed.

The nurse was checking his bandages.

The doctor looked at her. "As far as we can tell he is physically fine. Mentally though could be a completely different matter. We'll need to complete more scans but if they show he still has swelling on his brain he could be in trouble!"

"What are you trying to tell me?"

The doctor looked serious. "There could be the possibility of brain damage. We have no way of knowing if he has brain damage or how serious it may be till he wakes up. I'm going to book another MRI for him. Excuse me."

God brain damaged. Not that it mattered to her either way. He could be a loon and she'd till love him. He had the most beautiful mind to her. She couldn't care what was wrong with him as long as he woke up! They were alone again. "I love you Danny. I don't care if anything is wrong with you. So if that's what stopping you from waking up I don't care. You hear me Danny! You hurry up and wake up. Me and your kids want to see you. I need to look into your gorgeous green eyes!"

(X)

Danny opened his eyes. He was still on his hill. One minute he'd been fighting trying to free himself then darkness had descended over him. He sat on his hill. Lonely. It wasn't supposed to feel like this here. He was supposed to be happy. He wanted to be alone didn't he? He shifted and realised he could move his arms. He could talk aloud now too. Not that any of this mattered. Where had this been when the girl needed him? He felt a intense grief for the girl. The day was grey until he noticed the black haired girl again. She was ok! He was so relieved. She held a baby in her arms. She wasn't as happy as her mother had been with her. She seemed even more lost and alone than ever. She held the baby awkwardly and just stared at it a lot. Like she was trying to figure out what to do with it.

"Hey!" Danny said and waved.

The girls arms tightened around her child and she protected its head. She looked around startled. Noticed him then promptly ran away. Dammit he'd scared her. The next few days passed and the sky was still grey, she didn't come back until 2 days later. When she did come back the child looked to be about 2 years old. Time passed so quickly here! Her hair was golden. He didn't shout a greeting but he did wave in a friendly non threatening manner. The little girl tugged her mums hand and pointed to him. The mum smiled at her child and shook her head. Another 2 days passed and the girl seemed to be 4 years old. The black haired woman seemed to be able to trust him and came to talk to him. She held her daughters hand tightly and approached him wearily.

"Why do you sit up here and stare at me?" she asked belligerently. Her blue eyes mesmerised him. He smiled at her bluntness.

"Coz I like you. And I'm stuck here. Sometimes I feel like I've been stuck here forever. I used to watch you with your mum!"

Her daughter stayed close to her mum but ignored them she dug in the mud on his hill.

"Why don't you come with your mum anymore?"

"She died."

"O I'm sorry. What's your name?" Danny asked.

"Don't have one."

"Huh? No name?" he asked confused.

"Yup nameless."

"What did your mum call you?"

She looked perplexed. "Nothing."

Danny was confused. "What do you call your daughter?"

"Nothing"

"Can I name you both?"

She looked at him. "We don't need names."

"Ok."

"Your nameless too you know." the woman said.

"No I'm not I'm…." he couldn't remember. "Wow that's weird."

The woman smiled. "We have to go now."

"Will you be back tomorrow?" Danny asked.

"We might."

She did come back. They spent every day together. Got to know each other inside out. With every moment he spent with her he felt his limbs loosen, until one day he could finally go and play on the beach. The child who hadn't seemed to notice him now spent her time glued to his side and cried when they left.

"Where do you go when your not here?" Danny asked.

"No where." the woman replied. "It's like blackness but I can see in it. The only place I have light is here. I think that has something to do with you." the woman said shyly. "I wish I could stay here all the time!" with you she yearned to add.

"Why can't you?"

"Dunno. I think it's coz nothing is keeping me here."

"Maybe on day someone will ask you to stay." he said.

She smiled. "Yeah maybe."

More and more time passed Danny felt himself fall deeper and deeper in love with this woman and her child. A young man came too, the boy and girl played happily on the sand. They were 15 now. He had been here 31 days.

Danny grabbed the woman's hand. "I want you to stay here with me!" he said seriously.

"I can't."

"Why not I love you!"

"Coz you are only a observer to life, not a participant. Like when I was attacked. You sat and watched but didn't help me!"

"Coz I didn't know how. I tried so hard to get free. It killed me seeing you like that!"

"You didn't try hard enough. You'll hurt us eventually. I can't have you hurting us. We're going!"

"No don't go!" Danny pleaded.

"You'll never leave this beach! Your fear of hurting people is holding you back. Love has to be enough for you. When you decide you love us more than fear you'll be able to eave this place. The beach represents safety and tranquillity to you. While it represents my fear. I have faced that fear every day. You refuse to face yours! The hill is you being untouchable!"

But what if I hurt them? You?"

"You won't. Or you won't mean to and that is all that matters!"

"I won't run that risk!"

"Goodbye then. We won't be back."

The kids looked up and walked with their mum. Danny followed them. He didn't want to part with them. They came to a road and crossed but when he tried to cross a hard sheet of glass appeared in front of him. He touched it and it was solid. Unbreakable. The good thing about the glass was that he could keep an eye on them. All he to do was think about them an it was like a TV screen. He kept an eye on them. He sat at the glass and watched. So he was again. An observer to life. He heard the woman's voice in his head.

"Don't worry you won't hurt us! We miss you. Take the chance!"

Danny had to admit his resolve was wavering. The glass which had once been solid was not flexible like rubber, almost thin enough to put his hand through!

He was watching the young girl walk home one day. She'd left her friends too late. The darkness had descended fast. She stepped out on the road and saw a white car fly towards her. She froze and before he knew it he had shoved though the glass barrier smashing it into millions of tiny shards and was beside the child

"Daddy?" she asked.

"Love you sunshine." and then he pushed.

He felt the car hit his lower body. His eyes closed as his head hit the hood of the car. His whole entire body felt like it was on fire. He couldn't seem to make his lungs work and he was gasping. The driver braked and his rolled from the hood and felt a crack as he landed awkwardly oh his arm. Then his head hit the floor and he rolled. He felt the darkness descend over him. His last thought was. "An observer couldn't do that!"

(X)

Alice was tired. It was morning. She'd been here all night and there was till no change. Her mum had offered to come and sit with him but Alice didn't want to leave him. Ethan and Lexi wanted to come up too but she didn't want them here incase he had another…episode.

"Hey Danny some of your singing wouldn't go amiss right now. There'd be no way I'd fall asleep if you sang!"

She yawned loudly. Her eyes were so heavy, sooooooooo heavy! She leaned forward and put her head on Danny's bed. She felt her eyes closing but couldn't find a way to stop to them.

_Alice was back in the road. She was doing chest massage. _

"_C'mon Danny don't die please I love you!"_

_She was trying to get him breathing but he wouldn't. his broken body lay on the road. All of a sudden she saw a silver wisp come from his mouth. His spirit was leaving him. It floated towards the sky. She grabbed at it vainly but it had no substance and her hands were grasping thing air. She saw his face in the spirit and he smiled and waved as he floated to a higher plane. She wailed at it to come back but it wouldn't. she heard a voice. He's dead!_

Alice shot up breathing hard, sweating. She looked at his monitor immediately. Put her hand above his heart. It beat sure and strong. She released the breath she was holding and resisted the urge to cry. God that dream had been so awful!

Danny's heartbeat started racing again.

"Oh Danny no, don't do this to me again!" she muttered. His hands twitched and she saw his body jerk. Alice jumped up hand raised to hit the button but Danny suddenly went still. She froze.

He groaned and frowned in pain.

"Danny?" she whispered.

He slowly opened his eyes. Took in his surroundings and then he swallowed. His mouth tasted dry.

"Huh?" he started and blinked a few times.

Alice hit the button and was beside him again. She pulled him towards her.

"Oh God Danny thank God! I was so scared I'd lost you for good."

She pulled away and touched his face.

Danny smiled innocently. "I know you. You're the woman from my dream!" his voice was scratchy from dryness.

"Danny?" Alice asked.

"Where's the boy and girl?" he asked looking around. His voice held an innocent tone.

The nurse appeared with the doctor.

Mrs Trevanion will you…"

"No don't leave me!" Danny pleaded eyes filling with tears. "Mum doesn't like me to be alone with strangers. I'm only 6 years old she'll get mad if you leave me!"

Alice's jaw dropped in shock. "I'll be here." she said her voice wobbly.

He moved his head and made sure he could still see her and smiled and then waved. She waved back robotically.

"Oh God what on earth was wrong with Danny?

**A/N there we are. i am serously unhappy with this but cnt find any way to change it an make it better grrrr :( **

**anways review please an hpe u enjoyed it regardless of the crapness **

**next chapter will we find out wots rong wi danny?**


	15. Telling Off

Lexi and Ethan awoke late the next morning. Lexi was on her stomach her face buried in her dad's t-shirt. Ethan was curled up on Alice's side of the bed. At least she wasn't sprawled all over him. She blushed scarlet. Now that would have been embarrassing. She sat up and ran her hands through her hair. It was everywhere. The one thing she wished she hadn't inherited from her dad. His messy unruly bed hair. Then again if he was fine she swore never to complain about it again! She stretched and her back muscles protested the movement. God this bed was as hard as a rock! She looked under the mattress and saw a wooden board under where she had lain.

"What the hell?" Lexi muttered.

Her nana appeared at the door. "The mattress is too soft for your dad. He couldn't get comfortable on it. Your mum loves it though. I suggested he out a board under his side to firm it up for him." Mrs Elliott smiled.

Ethan sat up and yawned. He hasn't got bed hair she thought meanly. He looks far too good looking actually. So adorable half awake actually.

"How's my dad?" Lexi asked.

"No change sweetie."

Lexi's face fell. "I put my own dad in danger. He survived 30 odd years on this earth without being in hospital once and his own daughter hospitalises him!" Lexi said with self disgust.

"Not true sweetie. He helped someone else too."

Ethan frowned. "Really?"

"Wait there." Mrs Elliott said.

Lexi and Ethan looked at each other with matching looks of confusion. Then he grinned and flicked a strand of hair with his finger.

"I do love your bed hair!"

"Watch it Eth or one day you'll wake up with NO hair!"

"I surrender just don't touch my hair!" he said dramatically. "I sounded like a girl there didn't I?" he said in horror.

She nodded grinning.

Mrs Elliott returned carrying a tatty old shoe box. She came and sat on the bed by them.

"I found this last night in the spare room. I was looking for bedding. Normally I wouldn't have looked in it but it fell to the floor and the contents spilled to the floor. It seems to be a memory box of some sort."

Lexi took the box and opened it. It was full of things. A empty perfume bottle. A old photo album. A old hair brush. Papers. Old love notes. She grabbed the photo album. It contained pictures of her mother and father as teenagers. Messing on, having fun.

"I've never seen these before." Lexi whispered.

She moved so Ethan could see the pictures too.

The first one was of her mum and dad covered in bubbles. His arm wrapped around her waist possessively. They both looked so young and so happy. Lexi grinned.

"They're your age there." Mrs Elliott told her.

"Look at mums face. Look at dads! They look so soppy!"

"They were young and in love!" Mrs Elliott said simply.

"Your well the double of your dad there Lexi!" Ethan told her.

Lexi turned the pictures.

"That was your mums 16th birthday. They had a bbq.

"Aww they look so cute playing football together!" Lexi gushed.

"Hey your mum was good, look she turns him like a pro!" Ethan said.

They laughed at the one where her dad chased her mum with the hose. Alice screaming her head off hysterically in the photo.

"Your dad's got a sadistic side!" Ethan said grinning. "I'd do that to you!" he added. They also laughed at the one where Alice had jumped on Danny's back and dunked him in the pool.

"Remind me never to annoy your mum!" Ethan deadpanned.

"They're so playful. Not like now. All they do is work." Lexi said sadly. "Whose that with dad?" Lexi asked.

Mrs Elliott looked. "I think it's your granddad Daniel. Danny's dad. I never met him. He died when you were a little under 2 years old.

"Wow look at the resemblance. God dad looks like them both! Nana and Granddad."

"Strong genes." Mrs Elliott murmured. "He gave them to you."

"Look at them on here!" Lexi said.

Her mother was looking at her dad with stars in her eyes. Her smile soft and warm. He was whispering in her ear. Smiling softly as he did so.

"Eew!" Lexi said although she was smiling.

"They have always loved each other a lot. It was instantaneous with them. You got lucky with them as parents Lexi you could have got a whole lot worse!"

Unfortunately the course of true love didn't run smoothly as Mrs Elliott knew. Not that she would ever tell Lexi what Shauna had told her many years ago!

She pulled out a newspaper clipping.

"Your mum and dad were coming to Glasgow to see me. I was to met your dad for the first time. Believe me the interrogation I had planned was intense! Anyway they were on their way to my house when they saw an old woman getting mugged in the street. They shouted at him to leave her alone but the mugger still took her bag. Your mum took care of Mrs Rawlings and your dad went after the mugger. He got the bag back."

"Really so dads like a hero or something?" Lexi asked in awe.

"How'd he end up in hospital though?" Ethan asked.

"The mugger angry that your father wouldn't give him the bag pulled a knife on him."

Lexi's eyes widened.

"Cut his neck. I little bit higher and he wouldn't be here and neither would you. He was just about to kill your dad when you mum scared him away!" Mrs Elliott told Lexi.

"Wow!" Lexi murmured.

"I knew that was a scar on his chest." Ethan said softly. "He tried to tell me it was line."

She handed the kids the article. They read it eagerly.

"Awww look at my mum in tears. But eew who wants to see them kissing!"

Ethan looked at the article and felt a whole new respect for Danny. It wasn't just that he helped a complete stranger bit he didn't go looking for recognition for it. At 16 he stopped an old woman getting mugged and all he said was that she needed help. Wow!"

He could see them in a hospital room. Alice scaring away the reporter. They were so made for each other!

Mrs Elliott's voice turned serious. "Your dads a good person! You should lay off him! He'd die for you, both of you. He doesn't deserve to be treated the way you both have treated him. He's a good man. One of the best! Ethan you could only grow up to be like him and Lexi you should pray you find a man like him! You've both hurt him unbearably and right now you should be thanking your lucky stars that you have a second chance to make everything right and to let him know you care! And even though other people might have held a grudge and told you to get lost he'll still love you and will be happy to see you smile. Coz he loves you both unconditionally!"

Mrs Elliott rose from the bed and left the room.

"He didn't deserve the way we treated him Eth!" Lexi finally said.

"I know!" he replied.

She looked back at the article. "I had no idea he did this!"

"Neither did I."

"It's weird Ethan but I'm proud of him!"

Ethan gave her a funny look, "You did get lucky with him for a dad!"

She was just beginning to realise that! "Do you wish he was your dad?"

Ethan thought for a minute. "I dunno. I mean I want a dad like him but he's your dad and the feelings I had for you would make it weird if I did think of him as my dad you know. He's still a cool guy though!"

Lexi nodded. "I'm gonna get ready then phone the hospital." she took the newspaper clipping and stuck it on the wall of her room. She was seeing her dad today. No doubt about it!

(X)

Lexi and Ethan were sat eating breakfast. Lexi was pissed coz when she rang the hospital they wouldn't discuss her dad's condition with her. It was bad enough that she and Ethan had slept in till 11oclock! The phone rang. That'll be her mum.

"I've got it!" she ran and picked it up.

"'Lo, this is Lexi Trevanion."

"Hey baby it's mum. Is nana there?"

"Mum what is it? Why do you sound like that? Its dad isn't it something's happened!"

Dammit her daughter was far more perceptive than Alice gave her credit for! "No Lexi it's ok your dad's awake." Well sort of! She added silently. "But you can't….."

"He's awake?" Lexi asked excitedly. "I'm coming straight up!" Lexi put the phone down on the table.

"Nana!" Lexi yelled. "Mum's on the phone!" she than walked into the kitchen grabbed her toast.

"Dad's awake!" she told Ethan then popped the toast in her mouth.

Both teenagers got ready to visit.

Mrs Elliott came into the living room and picked the phone up.

"Hello Alice. How is everything?"

"Mum Danny's awake but please you can't bring the kids down!"

"Why?"

"Coz he's not Danny. Not our Danny anyway! They doing lots of scans and tests on him. He's childlike mum he thinks he's 6 years old and he gets agitated when he realised that he's far to big to be that age! He remembers me from a dream and doesn't remember he has kids! The doctors are hoping this is temporary but I need to keep the kids as far away until the last possible moment! Lexi can't see him like that!"

"I'll try Alice but she's as stubborn as he is. Possibly worse coz she's got you in her too! If she decides she is going to see him nothing short of a earthquake or tornado will stop her!"

Alice exhaled. "I know!"

"I'll do my best."

"Thanks mum. I'll phone later as soon as I hear something!"

Mrs Elliott put the phone down. Lexi appeared with her coat on ready to go.

"I'm ready."

"Lexi I'm a little busy right now." Pretty crap for stalling but she'd had no time to think!

Lexi's eyes narrowed. "Fine I'll get a taxi then!"

"They're doing some tests on him so you won't be able to see him anyway. Why not go over Shay's and I'll phone you to go up later."

"No I'll sit in the waiting room to see him! I don't know why your trying to keep me from seeing my dad but it isn't going to work!" Lexi said angrily.

"But sweetie what if he isn't your dad?" Mrs Elliott asked.

Lexi scoffed. "Who else would he be?"

Mrs Elliott had no answer. "Let me get dressed. Then after dinner time I'll run a few errands and then we'll see your dad. Not before!" And hopefully if she could drag it out long enough visiting time would be finished!

Lexi narrowed her eyes but she was smart enough to recognise when her nana wouldn't budge.

"Deal!" she said reluctantly and walked away.

Mrs Elliott exhaled. "Hard headed kid, just like her parents. No reasoning with her at all!" she muttered.

**A/N ok here we are. slightly better than the prevous 2 chapters bt that doesn't take much coz they r 2 good :/ lexi and ethan softening towards danny and Mrs elliott tellin them how it is :) review please and hpe u enjoyed.**

**thanks 4 all your reviews so far x**


	16. Little Danny

Alice sat in Danny's hospital room with him. He was humming a little tune happily. Not a care in the world. While she was stressing! He was turning the pages in a magazine. It was full of animals and he made random observations every now and then.

"Are the boy and girl gonna see me today?" Danny asked. A smile in his green eyes.

"What girl and boy Danny?"

"They were in my dream with you. The boy had brown hair and he didn't like me at first coz he didn't want to share the girl but we made friends and he made good sand castles. The girl had yellow hair and looked like an angel. I helped her. She was gonna get hurt off a car."

"That's right Danny Lexi was going to get hit off a car and you pushed her out the way!"

Danny smiled. "I jumped through a window!" he said proudly then frowned. "She called me daddy though." he looked at her intently. "I'm not a daddy am I? I'm too little!" he then cocked his head sideways the same as Lexi used to.

Alice really had no idea what to say. "Ummm."

He looked back at his magazine the conversation . He was clearly bored of the conversation.

"Look a brown rabbit! I had a rabbit once." he smiled widely. "There noses go like this…" he mimicked a rabbits nose .

"Yeah they do Danny." Alice answered absently.

"Your nice. I like you!" he smiled at her, he looked so normal that for a moment she let herself pretend that he was fine. The next line out of his mouth broke the moment.

"Can you get my mum?" he asked.

Dammit!

"She's really busy at the moment Danny."

"Ok." he nodded. "Will you stay with me?"

"Yeah I will."

He smiled at her again.

(X)

A couple of hours had passed. It was 4 o'clock and Danny was irritated at being in bed.

"I wanna get up please. I'll be good."

God Alice thought it was just when Lexi was a child again!

"Not today huh Danny." she was wearily.

Alice was running on empty, but she couldn't leave Danny. She hear voices. O no their daughter was here.

"2 minutes Dan…"

Lexi burst into the room. Saw her father sitting up. Her face creased with smiles. She ran over and hugged him.

"Oh daddy I'm so glad your ok!"

Mrs Elliott looked at Alice. "I'm sorry I held her off as long as I could!"

"Don't worry about it mum."

"Look at your poor face dad and your arm. But that will get better. I knew you wouldn't stay asleep for long!" she pulled away and looked at her dad. He still smiled innocently.

"I know you!" he said excitedly and clapped his hands.

"Um yeah dad." Lexi asked confused.

Danny frowned. "Why do you call me dad? I'm Danny!"

Lexi looked at her mother. "Mum?"

"She's my friend!" Danny said proudly pointing to Alice.

"What the…?" Ethan muttered.

"Hey I know you too!" Danny said to Ethan bouncing on his bed. He looked at Mrs Elliott then stopped. "Don't know you though!"

He looked at Lexi. "I have lots of friends!"

"Hey kids come outside for a minute!" Alice asked.

Danny grabbed Lexi's hand. "You look like me. How?"

Lexi's jaw completely dropped.

"C'mon Lexi outside."

Danny realised what Alice said. "No Alice don't leave me with a stranger please!" he was agitated.

"It'll be ok Danny I promise. She's my mum. She won't hurt you."

Lexi's mouth was still agape watching her dad with horror.

Alice grabbed her arm and dragged her from the room. Danny crossed his arm and looked at Mrs Elliott. Suspicion in the green depths of his eyes.

"Hey Danny. My names Catherine but you can call me Cathy!"

"You're a stranger!" he said. "I don't talk to strangers!"

"I'm Alice's mum remember. She won't hurt you and neither will I!"

Danny thought over her words. He went back to looking at his magazine. He smiled as he looked at the animals.

"Do you like animals Danny?" Mrs Elliott asked.

He nodded. "When I get big I'm going to be a doctor but for animals and make them all better!"

"My favourite animal's are rabbits. My daughter had a brown one called floppsy." Mrs Elliott told him.

Danny's eyes lit up. He flicked back a page. "Like that one?"

She nodded. "I like rabbits too." he said shyly.

Danny thought that she seemed nice and as long as she didn't try to take him away he could be here friend. Plus his friend Alice liked her too. Maybe she is a good person. He smiled as he thought of Alice. Although he only knew her from his dream he knew deep down inside that she was his friend. One of his bestest friends in the whole world! She was really nice and he liked her a lot.

(X)

Lexi felt herself being pulled away from her mum. What on earth was her father on about? Of course she looked like him, he was her dad for gods sake. She looked like him since the day she was born!

The door was closed and Lexi looked at her mum. "What the hell is going on?" Lexi demanded.

Alice rubbed her eyes tiredly. "Your dad… due to the bang on his head…. I dunno. They think he could have brain damage."

"Brain damage!" Lexi asked.

"They're not sure. They are looking at MRI's and doing tests. This could only be temporary. Could be permanent too!"

"So what? My father had the mental age of a 4 year old? Oh great!" Lexi huffed.

"LEXI! Don't bother starting! This isn't his fault. You think he wants this? And actually he's 6!"

Lexi closed her eyes and breathed for a while. She opened them and noticed her mum. She looked terrible and she then realised that she didn't want to add to the stress she was under.

"I'm sorry mum. I guess I freaked out for a second. It's just gonna take a while to sink in."

"Tell me about it!" Alice muttered.

"Can I do anything to help?" she asked.

"Just play along for the time being."

"Ok mum." she kissed her mums cheek and went back into her fathers room. Ethan stayed behind.

"How are you Alice?" he asked.

Alice shrugged. "I'm fine Ethan."

"You look shattered!"

"Ethan I'm fine honest. Plus he needs me, I won't leave him here alone!"

"No-on expects you to Alice. But you've got to slow down. Stop trying to be superwoman or you'll collapse. Your no good to him if you keel over from exhaustion!"

Alice smiled. He sounded so much like Danny, and they weren't even related. "Your sweet to worry Ethan but I'll be fine! C'mon we'll get back to Danny!"

Alice and Ethan walked in the room and heard Mrs Elliott and Danny talking about animals.

Danny looked up at her as she entered. "Cathy is my friend now! She likes rabbits like I do!"

"I like guinea pigs." Lexi said, trying to join in.

"They're nice I suppose." Danny said. "I like rabbits floppy ears and they're hoppy too. Hop hop hop! He imitated bouncing on his bed.

He looked at Lexi. "When we go home will you build sand castle on the beach with me again?"

Lexi smiled "Yeah sure."

"In my dream we built a big humongous one it was like the size of a house! It was this big and this high!" he gestured with his arms. "And it had a moat and everything!"

"I'll come too Danny. Boys build better sand castle then girls!" Ethan's said seriously.

"Do not!" Lexi told him.

"Do too!" Danny said.

God it was like going back to when Lexi was little! He acted just like this, difference was he was fine then!

The rest of the day passed quickly. It followed the same tone. Danny got tired and had to take some pills.

"Here's your medicine Danny." The nurse said.

"No I don't want it its horrible!" he pouted and crossed his arms.

"Daniel." the nurse said softly.

"NO!" he yelled.

"Hey dad.. Danny when mum wanted me to take medicine she said I'd get a brand new fairy. How about if you take your medicine and I'll bring you a farm with animals tomorrow?"

"Really?" Danny asked.

"You've got to take your medicine and go to sleep first!"

He thought about it. Then nodded. "Ok."

Danny took the medicine and made a face.

"So that's where Lexi got her medicine face from then!" Mrs Elliott whispered to Alice laughing softly.

He then lay down and blinked a lot trying to stay awake. "Will I see you all tomorrow?"

They all nodded. He closed his eyes finally and was asleep instantly.

Alice exhaled.

"C'mon Alice, I'll take you home. You need to sleep!"

"I'll go home tomorrow. He can't wake up alone. He'll get scared!" How weird was saying that about a 32 year old man!

"Alice you need to sleep!" Mrs Elliott said.

"I'll catch 40 wins on the chair. You can sit with him tomorrow while I go home to shower. Take the kids home mum. I'll be fine!"

She kissed her two kids and hugged them. "See ya kids."

She then shuffled the kids out of the room and pulled the chair close beside him.

"I love you Danny. No matter what!"

She sat back in her chair. The next thing she knew the room was darker.

She blinked groggily. "huh? "9 o'clock. She'd been asleep about 2 hours. She still felt rubbish! And to top it off she felt nauseous and had the biggest urge to pig out on Worchester sauce crisps! God she didn't even like Worchester sauce crisps! The very thought of them made her stomach growl, she HAD to find some! She left Danny and went to find some vending machine. She grinned triumphantly when they had them in.

"Yes!" she got 3 packets, she would have bought them all but after getting a drink and a TV card she ran out of change.

She went back to Danny's room and he was still sound asleep. She turned the TV so the glare was off him and plugged in the headphones. She sat down and opened her crisps. She had the first 2 packets then when she opened the 3rd the smell hit her and she physically couldn't eat anymore. This is what sleep deprivation and not eating for 2 days does to you Alice. Knocks your eating habits all out of whack! She checked her watch. 10 o'clock. She tried so hard to concentrate on the TV but her eyes began to feel heavy. She'd only had 2 hours sleep in the last 2 days. She hadn't had a proper sleep in such a long time, with her and Danny being in seperate rooms for the last month she was lucky if she averaged about 3 hours a night! She twined her hand into Danny's. Alice rested her head on the back of the chair and her eyes closed on their own.

**A/N hope u enjoyed this. lil danny is cute :) x**


	17. Heartbreak

Alice felt someone tapping her shoulder the next morning. She whacked at the hand.

"Tired! 5 more minutes Danny." she mumbled. She forgot that she was in hospital asleep on the chair. She thought she was at home in bed beside her husband. She was reluctant to leave the dream. She tried to turn over on the chair but slid off the chair onto the floor. She heard a rumbling laugh.

She opened her eyes and was looking up at Danny. He was smiling at her. He looked different somehow.

"Hello down there." he said grinning.

She picked herself up and stretched. God that chair was the most uncomfortable thing she'd ever slept on in her life.

"Sit down Danny." she rested him back so he wasn't leaning over the bed.

"Alice what am I doing here?" he asked.

"Danny we talked about this yesterday." she said tiredly and sat down. Alice hadn't noticed but his voice had lost it's singsong edge.

"Did we?" he asked confused. His eyes held their usual intelligent light

She nodded and yawned.

"What did we talk about exactly?"

Alice frowned at him. "Huh?"

"I'm feeling a little clueless at the minute!" then he shrugged to punctuate the statement.

She looked at the clock 10 o'clock. Lexi suddenly burst into the room.

"O - your awake. I made good on my promise Danny, one wooden farm complete with animals."

Danny looked at the farm then his daughters face shocked. "What's going on here?"

Lexi looked at her mum. She shook her head and raised her hands in a I don't know gesture.

"Since when did you call me Danny Lexi? And since when did I want a farm? And what the hell am I doing in a hospital bed with my left arm in cast?"

Mrs Elliott and Ethan walked in.

"Hey Danny mate. I snuck you in some bubble gum pop. You told me it was your favourite." Then Ethan winked. "Here's a bag of jellies too." Mrs Elliott added.

Danny looked at every person slowly. "Has everyone here lost their ever loving minds? Bubble gum pop? Wooden farms? I'm 32 years old for Gods sake! I really think I have missed something big. Is this a joke and I've missed the punch line? Will somebody PLEASE tell me what is going on. O I know, I've finally went insane haven't I?" he asked seriously. His face looked like he was in pain.

"Danny?" Alice asked. She finally twigged.

"Yeah. Who else?"

"Daddy?" Lexi asked.

He smiled at his daughter and nodded.

"Why do people keep asking me my name. I'm me!" he said getting frustrated

Lexi suddenly dropped the farm and launched herself at him. He caught her. She hugged him tightly.

"O dad. I'm sorry. I love you I promise I do. You scared the life outta me!" she sniffled.

He hugged his daughter with his unbroken arm. "Hey baby don't cry. I know you love me. There wasn't ever any doubt. And I'm sorry for scaring you. If I remembered how I scared you that is!" he looked over his daughters head. "You ok Eth?"

Ethan smiled. "Yeah I'm good. You?"

He nodded to his broken arm. "Well apart from that, my little girl squeezing the hell out of my ribs and the fact that I have no clue why I'm here or how I got here, I'm good too!"

Ethan grinned and Lexi released him.

"C'mon kids. We'll leave your parents. They need to talk."

"I'll be back dad."

"Ooooo ominous words from my daughter." he pulled her hand back to his and kissed the top of her head. Then smiled at her.

"Love you dad."

"Love you too. Both of you!" he said.

Ethan looked away quickly. They walked from the door and soon he and Alice were alone.

Danny looked at Alice and smiled widely. "Hey darling. Alone at last huh?"

"Hey Danny."

He looked at her confused. "You are Alice Trevanion aren't you?"

She nodded.

"Married 10 years ago on the 22nd of July?"

She nodded again.

"Well where's my kiss then?" he asked.

"What's the last thing you remember Danny?"

He frowned. "I remember getting a phone call from you saying Ethan was in a fight. I remember sorting things out with Ethan. I remember taking advantage of you last night!" he winked at her and smiled wickedly.

She smiled remembering that night. "You did take advantage of me!" she admitted.

"So can I PLEASE have my kiss now. I am starting to feel seriously unloved here!"

"We can't have that!" she murmured.

"I feel like I haven't had a kiss forever!"

She went over and sat on the bed. She put her arms around him. He put his arm around her waist and kissed her slowly deeply thoroughly. He rested his forehead on her shoulder and pulled her close.

"God I love you! Do you know that?" he leaned back and his hand touched her face almost reverently.

"I love you too. Insanely. Way beyond the realm of reason!" that kiss had felt amazing like she had came home after a long absence. She never wanted to let him go!

"Alice honey. Tell me why I'm in hospital feeling like a truck ran over me." he said softly.

She winced at his analogy. "You were hit by a car."

"Really?" he was silent. "Ow." he said as an afterthought.

She smiled at his blasé attitude,

"It is also a month later than you think it is!"

"So I'm a month older than I think I am?" he smiled. "That's weird. How'd it happen?"

"Saving our daughters life."

Danny's jaw dropped then pondered the implications of her words. "So that's why she apologised and said she loved me. What's up with the rest of the stuff. The pop and the sweets and the farm?"

He looked so confused Alice couldn't help but smile.

"You were in a coma and you woke up. You sorta had the mental age of a 6 year old."

He looked at her incredulous. "Your kidding right?"

She shook her head.

"Did I embarrass myself?"

"Maybe a little." she laughed as he put his head in his hand and groaned. "You were mostly adorable though. Just like Lexi at that age!"

"God I asked for barbies didn't I?" he asked in mock horror. A small grin at his mouth.

Alice burst out laughing. It felt good to act like this around him again. Her old Danny was back.

"Hey don't lie. I so knew they were your favourite. You played with them more than Lexi when she was little!"

"Ssshhhh I don't want everyone to know, but your right!" he whispered and pressed a quick kiss to her lips.

"How did Lexi almost get hit by a car honey?" he coaxed.

She didn't want to answer this one. She didn't want the awkwardness to return. She wanted to forget the last month ever happened! She was saved by the doctor coming.

"I need to go home and change. I'll be back soon. We'll talk more then." she kissed him softly once more. Lingering for a split second.

He smiled. "Ok honey. Love you." he kissed the back of her hand.

"I love you too." she waved as she sailed out of the door.

(X)

Alice found her mum and the kids in the café. She sat down.

"Is dad back to normal?" Lexi asked.

"Seems to be baby!"

Lexi looked visibly relieved. "Thank God. It'll be good to have him back to normal. It was just too weird!"

"There is something else though!"

"What?" the 3 people chorused together.

"The last thing he remembers is the night he and Ethan worked on the bike."

"So everything that ahs happened in the last month?" Ethan asked.

"Gone." Alice said simply. "We'll talk at home. They will be doing tests until 1 o'clock the doctor told me as I left. So we may as well go home until later!"

The 4 people climbed into the car. "I've phoned the garage. They're gonna fix your car Alice."

"Thanks mum."

They arrived at the house.

"Conference." Alice said. They sat in the kitchen, Mrs Elliott left them alone.

"What you gonna tell Danny then?" Ethan asked.

"Dunno, if I could forget the last month I would!" she admitted.

"Well just lie and tell him everything was fine. Nothing Is wrong anymore. Me and Ethan are fine!"

"Lexi there's more to it then that. Stuff you and Ethan don't know about. And what about yours and Ethan's relationship? He deserves to know all this. Its wrong to lie to him about his life!"

"What happens if he hates me though? Hates all of us for how we treated him." Lexi asked scared.

"Lexi your dad will never hate you. He's your father he loves you unconditionally. He loves both of you more than anything in the world. Look I'll go and talk to him later after you have seen him. We need to talk through some stuff alone!"

"Ok mum." Lexi walked away.

Ethan still sat at the table. He looked deep in thought.

"So what do you think Eth?" he sat silently through the conversation.

"I agree. He deserves to know. You are doing the right thing."

Ethan of course didn't know about the divorce.

Alice went upstairs to shower.

Alice stood in her bedroom in her dressing gown. Looking through her wardrobe. Ok here it comes. The day her marriage ends. If he didn't want to stay married to her she couldn't lie to him! She loved him and wanted him to be happy - even if that meant without her. She wanted to lie to him, don't get her wrong, but lies don't help a relationship they were like acid. Breaking bonds. She knew all to well what lies could do! This was going to destroy her. It went against everything inside her to bring divorce up. God she would have bet her life that their marriage would have been the one to last! They'd been strong. Beyond strong! They'd barely even argued and if they had it had been little ones that hadn't really mattered they'd made up quickly. The first major blow up they ever had and it broke them! Alice grabbed her blue blouse and some jeans. She had to breath in to fasten them. She made up a bag of toiletries and clothes for Danny. This was gonna hurt!

(X)

Danny was sat in his hospital bed thinking. He thought so hard his head hurt! It was so hard trying to remember stuff when you didn't have a clue! He closed his eyes, felt something coming. He concentrated on the memory. It materialised. Lexi was in the kitchen smiling, talking about how something was child abuse. He was kissing Alice. Saying he loved her. The usual then. That memory could have been any day in the last 10 years! The room was quiet peaceful. He didn't feel like opening his eyes. So he kept them shut. The doctor had told him that fatigue was common after a head injury. Plus all those tests they had did shattered him. He let his thoughts wander to Alice. He couldn't wait to tell her that the doctors told him that he was going to be fine, and that in a few days he could come home! See nothing could beat them or come between them, not even a car! Ok not a very pleasant joke but it's better than thinking of the alternative. He had sat for the longest time to remember what happened. He suddenly saw a flash of white in his head. And Lexi stood in shock. The memory unnerved him. His heart had almost stopped at the look on Lexi's face! He tried to force more but his brain refused. Dammit! He relaxed his brain again. Thought of his wife. He still got chills when he called her that! He thought of her gorgeous face, her cocky smile. Her sweet musical voice. A memory overcame him. Well not a memory more like a sound. Well to be specific a word. Alice saying divorce! His eyes popped open why the hell would Alice say divorce to him? Except… except if she was asking for one. Maybe that was why his mind refused to remember the last month. It was trying to convince him that everything was fine. It makes sense, he had to convince her to kiss him this morning! What the hell had happened in the last month?

"oh God no!" he whispered.

Another memory shuddered over him. He was holding Ethan against a wall. The worst thing was he wanted to hit him! He could feel the desire inside him. God it made him sick! The next thing he saw was Alice on the floor.

"Oh God!" he groaned.

He covered his face with his hands. How could he?

No wonder she wanted rid of him! He did something he swore he would never do. He raised his hands to his family. He disgusted himself. The car should have just crushed him! He was no good. No better than all the other abusers in prison! Alice could do so much better than him! No wonder she'd been evasive, probably scared he would go wild and…. God he couldn't even finish the thought. What he was capable of doing to her! The very thought of raising his hands to her made him want to be physically sick. It was abhorrent! God this had went on for a whole month too. What sort of hell must they have went through. Waiting to see if he was in a good mood. Trying to keep him happy so he wouldn't explode. That's it he's leaving this hospital right now! And hopefully he would find a ditch somewhere fall in and never surface! He loved his family too much to let them out up with his violent rages! He sat up too quickly and grabbed his ribs. He had one problem. No clothes. The wires and tubes had all been removed earlier so that wasn't a problem. He opened a few cupboards and then noticed his jeans and shoes. His coat hung on the back of the door. Abit blood splattered but he'd ignore that! He pulled on his jeans and shoes and coat. he'd have to remember not to bend down much, his ribs felt like they burning. He popped his head out. The coast was clear. He hurried down the hallway and put his head down as he passed a nurse. He heard his daughters voice.

"Hurry up Eth. I don't want dad to be crabby if we're late." she giggled.

"Oh god baby I'm sorry. You won't have to deal with my nastiness anymore. Just know daddy loves you baby. Always have always will!" he said softly.

Lexi passed and he turned his head quickly. He then spun and walked straight into a warm body. He felt his ribs jar and he groaned loudly.

"Ow!" he hissed.

"I'm sorry are you ok?"

Trust him to walk into his wife of all people!

He nodded still looking at the floor.

"You sure. I'll get a doctor anyway."

He shook his head. Alice had already motioned a nurse over.

"Come on sir. Stand up straight if there's a problem with your ribs."

He stood up reluctantly. His breath caught when he saw her in her blue blouse. It brought out her eyes beautifully!

"Oh my god Danny what are you doing?"

"Leaving." his green eyes were troubled and at that moment Alice knew he remembered.

They then heard a hysterical girl.

"Where's my dad?" she yelled.

"He's here Lex." Alice said.

He smiled at his daughter. "Hey baby I just wanted some fresh air."

She ran to his side and grabbed his un injured arm.

"It's ok Lexi I can walk." he ruffled her hair.

"Da-ad!" she said and tried to put her hair back to normal.

He refused to look at Alice.

He was soon sat back in his hospital bed. Lexi chattered a mile a minute, Ethan would occasionally add something. Lexi was mainly the one who held the conversation. Danny would smile and nod and add something of his own at appropriate moments.

"Hey Lex can you leave me and mum alone for a minute?"

He sounded so dire!

"Dad are you ok. Are you well?" she asked worried.

"Yeah Lex I'm fine I promise!"

"C'mon Lex we'll go ring nana yeah?" Ethan said.

"This will only take 5 minutes." he smiled at her though it didn't reach his eyes.

"Love you daddy."

Love you too baby." and he squeezed her tight.

Lexi and Ethan left the room.

Danny and Alice sat in silence.

"You remember then?"

He nodded.

"You going through with it then?" she asked. Hinting at divorce. He thought she meant something else.

He nodded again.

"Goodbye Danny!"

She got up and slammed the door.

**A/N my apologies 4 the lack of update and the rubbishness of it! i am thinking of just tearing up wot i've got an startin fresh coz its jst rubbish grrrr! thanks 4 reading anyway and of course review please :)**


	18. Make up or Break Up!

**A/N this song sorta goes with this chapter although there is another song later on in too enjoy**

_**Don't think I can't feel that there's something wrong**_

_**You've been the sweetest part of my life so long**_

_**I look in your eyes, there's a distant light**_

_**And you and I know there'll be a storm tonight**_

_**1 Week Later**_

Danny was able to leave the hospital. Lexi had picked up on the tension between her father and mother. They had agreed for Lexi's sake he would stay at home until after their anniversary. Then they would tell her they were splitting up. They weren't going to last till the end of the week at this rate.

Lexi was sat in her room with Ethan. They were eating ice poles.

"Do you think my mum and dad will split up?" she asked sucking her ice pole.

"No way - they love each other too much!"

"Have you seen the way they look at each other or not. Ethan it's freaky!"

"Lex your just being paranoid!"

"Am I? Come with me and look at this. Be quiet!"

They crept downstairs. Danny and Alice sat on opposite end of the room. It seemed like they looked at ach other at intervals. When the other wasn't. If their eyes did ever meet and hold they would sorta soften then they'd glare then look away. It was weird.

Ethan looked at Lexi and frowned. They crept back upstairs.

"Still think I'm paranoid?" she asked.

He shook his head. "I'll admit that is weird. Usually they'd be snuggled up together giggling. They're the only adults in world I know who giggle!" he said.

"What do you think is up with them?"

He shrugged. He had a feeling though.

"Scuse me Lexi." he said and walked downstairs. And into the living room. Danny was looking at Alice. The longing on his face was almost painful to watch!

"Hey Dan Alice, I need to talk to you."

They both looked at him.

"You ok son?" Alice asked.

"Look I understand what's happening between the 2 of you and I can't be the cause of this families break up! I think you should put me back up for adoption!"

"What the hell?" Danny exclaimed.

"No way!" Alice said at the same time.

"Its ok, I understand I do! I've put you under stress and I love you all too much to allow it to destroy the family!" Ethan's eyes glistened.

"Ethan son what are you talking about?" Danny asked standing up.

"Well the way I treated you and what I said about Derek!"

Alice suddenly stood up and ushered Ethan into the kitchen. He heard her whispering, she heard not your fault. He heard her rubbing Ethan's back and heard her kiss him softly. He then heard footsteps going upstairs. What the hell is going on? Danny wondered.

Alice walked back. She looked resigned. And uncomfortable. Here it comes. The talk he wanted to have but dreaded at the same time his stomach pooled with excess acid.

"Look Danny, we need to sort this out. It's affecting the kids. He broke his heart in there convinced he split us up! He's never cried in front of me Danny! We have to fix this now. We swore way back in the beginning before we married that whatever happened with us would not affect the kids and this is affecting them BIG style!"

He nodded. "I'll go."

"So that's still your plan?"

"Yes."

"Why can't you just stay with us?" Alice asked.

"Because I'm too dangerous Alice!"

"So that's what this is about?"

"Yes."

"Danny it happened once, it wasn't even that bad!" so he upset Ethan and he ran off. It wasn't his fault Ethan started a fight. Why can't he understand that? she thought.

"And that makes it ok? So he didn't get hurt this time?" Danny asked. His face full of horror. "What happens next time?"

"Next time?" Alice asked confused. Were they talking about the same thing here?

"Danny he wasn't hurt! Stop beating yourself up!"

"Alice I can't do that to you. To him or to Lexi! I love you all too much. What happens if I go to far and kill one of you. How will I live with myself?"

"Danny your losing me here. You will never kill one of us. I seriously don't know what your talking about here!"

"Look Alice I'm a tall man with big hands. I refuse to put them on any of you! God Alice no I refuse to let you stay with me just for me to hurt you. NO Alice just NO!"

Danny why do you think you hit us. You've never laid a finger on any of us. Is that why you want to go?" she went over to touch his face but he jumped away from her.

"I remembered being in Ethan's face, being so angry beyond angry. I wanted to hit him. And the feeling I felt makes me sick! I turned and you were on the floor. Coz of me. I can't believe I hit you!" Danny paced agitated. "I'm such a bastard Alice. You should take our kids and run. As far and as fast as you can! I'm sorry, so sorry. You have got to know that I'd never hurt you for the whole world. I love you honey, please believe I love you. But you've got to understand why I can't stay!"

Alice went over and grabbed his hands. "Danny you didn't hit us." he looked away. She put her hand on his cheek. " Look in my eyes, I swear you didn't. you backed away walked away before you lost it. I was behind you and you didn't know that's how I was on the floor. You ran away before you hit him, that's how you were hit by the car! Lexi went after you and stopped in the road. You pushed her out of the way. You've never touched us. Danny you never would so stop being like this please!"

"So I didn't hit you? You don't hate me coz of my violent rages?" he asked dazed.

"No I could never hate you Danny. I love you." she exhaled slowly. "I do know you want a divorce though." she dropped his hands and crossed her arms over her chest.

"No Alice, never. It's you who wants to divorce me!"

"What?" she said. Alice had tears in her eyes. "No Danny I don't want to divorce you! You're the one breaking my heart with the secrecy and the envelopes." a tear fell. "You should just tell me if you don't love me anymore. I can take it!"

"Alice please don't divorce me. We can work through this. Go to couples counselling. Whatever you want. But we have to make this work! I don't wanna walk away from this, from us! Me and you, that's the only thing that made sense in my whole twisted world. In my coma you and the kids were the only one I could see! I need you more than I need air to breath and food to eat! I don't know how to survive without you! I just love you Alice. I always have loved you. From that moment all those years ago. I always will love you forever. My heart isn't mine, it's yours!"

As he said those words Danny suddenly remembered everything. It hit him like a bolt of lightning. "So that's what my coma was trying to tell me!" he said softly. His coma had been trying to show him that he didn't help his family by leaving them. That bad things happen whether he's there or gone and how if he's there he can sometimes stop them.

Alice was walking away from him.

Alice stop!" he said. She turned slightly, the look on her face broke his heart. He walked over, put his hands on her face and kissed her so passionately, filled with so much love. He tasted her tears as they fell from her cheeks onto their lips.

"Alice darling I swear on my life that I'll NEVER ever mention leaving you or our kids again! And I'll never ever divorce you! I love you and everything will be made clear soon. That is if you still love me and want to carry on with our marriage."

"Of course I do Danny. You have no idea what I went through thinking you didn't love me or want me anymore!"

"It couldn't of been any worse than what I went though thinking you didn't love me anymore! Alice I'm sorry I shouldn't have let myself get in that state. And tequila I know what it does to me! I just had to forget for a few hours! You did the right thing not giving me the car keys!"

"I just didn't want you to get hurt! I never stopped believing that we'd somehow work this out! I kinda figured that would be hard with you and your car wrapped around a pole!"

They sat on the sofa and hugged. "I've missed you Danny."

She said that and he was reminded of a song that he'd heard Lexi play. He decided to give it a little sing.

**Give me a reason**

**Why I'm feeling so blue**

**Every time I close my eyes**

**All I see is you**

**Give me a reason**

**Why I can't feel my heart**

**Every time you leave my side**

**I just fall apart**

**And when you're fast asleep**

**I wonder where you go**

**Can you tell me I wanna know**

**Because I miss you**

**And this is all I wanna say**

**I guess I miss you beautiful **

**These three words have said it all**

**You know I miss you**

**I think about you when you're gone**

**I guess I miss youNothing's wrong**

**I don't mean to carry on**

Unfortunately he didn't know the rest of the song so he sung

"Um dum de dum de dum. I missed you tooooooooooo."

Alice laughed and then pulled his face to hers for a kiss. Everything was ok again. Everything was perfect!

(X)

They didn't know they had 2 observers. Lexi was smiling widely. Even Ethan looked stupidly happy. They listened to her father sing.

"C'mon we really don't wanna se the rest of this!"

The kids left them alone.

"They really are unbreakable aren't they?" he murmured.

"Thank you Ethan I don't know what you said or did, but thanks."

He smiled at her. "I just wanna see them happy. And I like your dad, he's great but if you tell him I'll deny it!" he said seriously.

They both walked into his room feeling happier and lighter then they had in a month.

**A/N thankfully this was a nice chapter my writin is goin doolally atm :( **

**there will b one more chapter in this one im gonna split this into Ties that Bind Part I (Bristol)**

**the second part will be Ties that Bind Part II (Leopards Den)**

**simply because this story had barely started and im already like 20 chapters in :O**

**hpe u enjoyed and of course review please x**


	19. Before the holiday

A month had passed since Danny's accident. He was feeling as fit as a fiddle, he was happy because the doctors had taken his cast off early too. He was worried he was going to be in cast on the holiday pictures. All was ready, the bags had been packed and a locum hired for 2 and a half weeks. They were almost ready to leave for Africa. Alice still had no clue as to where they were going, and what he had planned. He smiled at his surprise. They were having 2 weeks holiday in Africa, at the end of their first week it was their wedding anniversary and he'd arranged it so they were going to repeat their vows in the African sunset. At Leopards Den. The set of Wild at Heart. Both he and Alice had loved it when they'd been young and owned all the box sets. Although they no longer made the series anymore Lexi used to watch it too, and had a little crush on Stephen.

Things at home were back to normal now too. Ethan and Lexi bickered good naturedly as usual. He and Alice were fine and gradually getting back to their normal loving selves. It had been abit funny at first but it was all getting to be natural again, which he was thankful for. He didn't like to think about how close they had came to losing each other completely! Alice had been looking a bit peaky lately. She'd been pale, and she'd lost her appetite, except for Worchester sauce crisps. He brought in a 6 pack from work every night and she'd be on the phone asking him to pick up more the next day. Danny just supposed the paleness was something to do with the fact that she couldn't fly and suffered terribly from flying sickness. He was so excited for this holiday. It was their first holiday abroad. As the years had passed they'd been to Butlins and camping but he and Alice had been working hard trying to get their vets practice solvent so they hadn't had the money to spare on a expensive holiday. Anyway a proper family holiday - the four of them! He was relieved they had settled back into normalcy so quickly.

He knocked on Lexi's bedroom door. "Hey Lex, you got your bag ready?" he popped his head in her room.

"I need some more shampoo and hair spray." Danny wrinkled his nose. God that stuff. It was so strong he could smell it on her hair a mile away! That was so his daughter too. Pack the important stuff first. Cosmetics, cosmetics and more cosmetics!

"You wanna go with mum, you know in case you need other stuff too." he put emphasis on the word other hoping she twigged.

"No dad, I'm fine." she said dryly. Then muttered "God!" under her breath.

"Well I'd better see if your mum needs anything."

"Eww Dad!"

Danny grinned.

"Eth son you need anything like gel or something, Lexi is dragging me to the shop."

"No Danny, I've had the stuff I need for ages. I plan ahead!" he said loud enough for Lexi to hear.

"Shut up Eth. Anyone would think your Mr perfect!"

"Well if the cap fits!" he chuckled.

Alice was in their room sat on the bed sorting through clothes. He crept in and closed the door quietly. Her back to the door. He snuck up behind her and put his hands over her eyes. "Guess who." he murmured in her ear.

"Is it wrong if I'm wishing so bad for Steven Gerrard?"

"Hey!" he said in mock annoyance.

She sun round and looked at him. "O it's you." she put on a bored voice. Then she said. "Danny honey he is well fit! He runs on a field for 90 minutes, more sometimes. Ooooo stamina!"

"Hey I have stamina!"

"Really?" she asked.

He pushed her down on the bed. "Too right!" he murmured and kissed her.

"Mmmm." she murmured. Her arms were around his neck. Her hand in his hair. She couldn't seem to stop touching him recently.

His hands skimmed down her body leaving little fires where he touched. They were about 2 seconds from the point of no return when their daughter shouted.

"Dad, I'm ready to go!"

Her timing is so bad!" Danny murmured.

Alice laughed. "Control yourself honey!"

"I can't promise anything around you!" he touched her face. "Love you darling always!"

"Da-ad hurry up!" Lexi yelled.

"Can I strangle her?" he asked.

"Sorry honey, but no."

"Not even a little?" he asked and made a space between his thumb and fore finger.

"If it's only a little I'll help!"

His laugh rumbled through his chest.

"Do you need anything from the shop? Lexi needs more junk for her hair!" he said in disgust.

She thought. "No. Not that I can think of. I can ring you if I think of anything."

"What about ladies stuff? You know tampons or something?"

"Nope, got plenty of those. Plus since my crash you know I'm not very regular. More like next to never! Well not that bad but I am not going to complain about coz it don't bother me in the slightest!"

He nodded.

"Where you taking us anyway? All I get told is pack plenty of shorts and sun block. I assume there will be shops where we are going?"

"Dunno it's pretty remote."

"Aaahhh." Alice exclaimed "Finally he lets something slip!"

"Dad!" Lexi yelled. "What are you doing up there writing a shopping list are your life freaking story? GOD!"

Alice laughed. "She is SO yours Danny! No patience what so ever!"

"I think I'll hand on abit more just to annoy her." he laughed.

"Na you'd better go, she's likely to burst a blood vessel or something."

He kissed her slowly and deeply. "Gotta go." he smiled at her then left.

Lexi saw her father leave the bed room. His hair all over.

"I should have known." she said in disgust. "You're worse than teenagers. Can't you two leave each other alone for 5 minutes. Actually don't answer that! Eewwwwww"

Danny had the strangest feeling that as she said that he was talking to his mum. Wow scary or what! HE should be saying that to her.

"C'mon then sunshine. Let's get ya stuff!"

**A/N ok people this is the last of Bristol 4 my next chappie it will be ties that bind part 2 will try 2 get my next chappie up2nite bt i cnt promise anything. the first chappie is better than the crap ive been writin recently which is something.**

**thanx 4 readin and all your reviews i appreciate them x**


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